Why Mike Vrabel isn’t worried about Patriots’ A.J. Brown doing weird A.J. Brown things after Eagles drama
Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel praises A.J. Brown’s maturity and professionalism following his offseason trade from the Philadelphia Eagles.
The New England Patriots made a significant move in the offseason by trading for three-time Pro Bowl wide receiver A.J. Brown from the Philadelphia Eagles. During a segment on ESPN’s NFL Live, former NFL quarterback Chase Daniel praised Brown as an elite receiver, noting that he achieved over 1,000 receiving yards in six of his first seven NFL seasons. Daniel highlighted that teaming Brown with young quarterback Drake Maye will significantly enhance Maye’s development and raise the overall potential of New England’s offense.
Although Brown’s departure from Philadelphia drew some criticism, head coach Mike Vrabel expressed confidence in his star receiver, saying he was unaffected by external opinions. Having previously coached Brown in Tennessee, Vrabel emphasized the veteran’s personal growth and professionalism since their reunion in Foxborough. According to Eagles insider Eliot Shorr-Parks on X, Vrabel commended Brown’s maturity, pointing out that he is responsible, receptive to tough coaching, and committed to the team’s success.
Mike Vrabel says after being away from AJ Brown and now having him back he has noticed how mature AJ is
Says he is very accountable, can be coached hard and wants to do well for the offense pic.twitter.com/Y7Qsvfg4eb
— Eliot Shorr-Parks (@EliotShorrParks) August 19, 2026
As the Patriots prepare for joint practice sessions against their former team, Vrabel dismissed concerns about emotional distractions for both Brown and defensive lineman Milton Williams. Patriots beat reporter Mike Kadlick reported on X that Vrabel addressed the situation by saying, “Milt played there. A.J. played there. These guys are professionals and have shown that they want to practice for us. I’m sure there are some additional emotions for them, but I’m not going to try to explain what those are.” Shorr-Parks also noted Vrabel’s balanced approach to the reunion, reinforcing the coach’s belief in his players’ competitive focus.
Meanwhile, Vrabel is managing challenges in training camp, particularly in the backfield, where Rhamondre Stevenson and TreVeyon Henderson are competing for the lead running back position alongside recent addition JaMycal Hasty. In an interview with Evan Lazar of Patriots.com, Vrabel explained that without live tackling drills, it is challenging to accurately assess run blocking and broken tackles before the preseason games reveal the unit’s true capabilities.
The New England Patriots made a significant move in the offseason by trading for three-time Pro Bowl wide receiver A. J. Brown from the Philadelphia Eagles. During a segment on ESPN’s NFL Live, former NFL quarterback Chase Daniel praised Brown as an elite receiver, noting that he achieved over 1,000 receiving yards in six of his first seven NFL seasons.