Over the past two seasons, A.J. Brown and the Philadelphia Eagles have not had the best relationship. Even in the 2024/25 season, when the Eagles won the Super Bowl, it was clear that Brown was not having a good time in the offense, and that feeling was even more evident in 2026.
The strained relationship between Brown and the Eagles has reached the point where a trade is expected, and it is not just a rumor.
Offensive Woes Have Led to a Potential A.J. Brown Trade, According to Stephen A. Smith
After winning that Super Bowl, the Eagles had no reason to play the way they did last season, yet the offense was still that much of an issue. Many blamed the coaching, which was completely deserved, but Jalen Hurts also got much of the criticism. It has gotten to the point where the conversation of the Eagles moving on from Hurts has begun.
That outcome is still unlikely, but even if the Eagles do keep Hurts, Brown is another story. There has been so much reporting that the star receiver will probably be traded after June 1, with the New England Patriots being heavily linked to that move. Because of that, many people believe it’s due to the offensive issues and Hurts.
On ESPN’s “First Take,” Stephen A. Smith spoke on the Brown situation and said, “At some point in time, we are going to have to have an uncomfortable conversation. And that conversation is this: if you are a WR that truly believes in your quarterback, this is not happening.”
“This stuff is happening because even though you can respect a quarterback for what they accomplished, but still have your questions, your trepidation about whether or not they are that dude over the course of a 17-game season,” he continued. “In big moments, I think you can trust Jalen Hurts, he’s a winner. But the path to it, there’s too many bumps in the road in the eyes of a wider receiver.”
Smith then listed many top-tier QBs from the past and present, such as John Elway, Dan Marino, Peyton Manning, and Tom Brady, and said that if Brown were playing with those players, this would not be an issue.
“If you are a WR playing for that caliber of quarterback, you’re not having these problems; this stuff is not happening,” Smith added. “It’s happening because, along the way, A.J. Brown lost the belief in Jalen Hurts. In my opinion, that to me is what’s really going on.”
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Just looking at Brown’s falloff in production, it’s clear there was an issue in the offense last season. In 2024, Brown was ranked third overall in PFSN’s WR Impact Metric, but last season, his rank dropped to 21st.
It’s hard to really understand if that’s Hurts’ fault, but it’s been heavily reported that the quarterback has some consistency issues, and there is a chance Brown has had an issue with that.
