One of the most talked-about storylines this offseason was the not-so-secret impending divorce between the Philadelphia Eagles and wide receiver A.J. Brown.
Now, Brown is with the New England Patriots, and after a recent training camp performance by Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts, fans are using it as an opportunity not only to take shots at the signal-caller but also to justify Brown’s desire to leave the team.
Jalen Hurts’ Rough Practice Fuels A.J. Brown Debate
After months of speculation, the Eagles pulled the trigger on a deal to send Brown out of town to the Patriots. The deal was completed on June 1 and included the Eagles receiving a 2028 first-round pick and a 2027 fifth-round pick.
Brown’s receiving numbers had dipped since 2023, when he caught 106 passes for 1,456 yards and seven touchdowns. In 2024, he caught 67 passes, and in 2025, he followed that up with 78 catches.
Though it was never confirmed outright, there were rumors of a rift between Hurts and Brown, and Brown recently confirmed that he hasn’t spoken to Hurts since landing with the Patriots.
This is to say that fans are now putting a spotlight on Hurts’ performance, and his recent outing during training camp certainly provided fuel for those on Brown’s side.
BE THE GM OF YOUR FAVORITE TEAM: PFN’s Free NFL Mock Draft Simulator
According to Eagles beat reporter Eliot Shorr-Parks of “94 WIP,” Hurts completed 19 of 27 passes on Day 13 of training camp, but had zero touchdowns and three interceptions.
Jalen Hurts Training Camp Stats, Day 13/Day 1 vs. Pats:
Wednesday’s practice was a great example of why all stats need context.
The numbers for the day were not good — 3 interceptions is most Jalen Hurts has ever thrown in a training camp practice. There were some positive… pic.twitter.com/4SLb74Xzbp
— Eliot Shorr-Parks (@EliotShorrParks) August 19, 2026
However, while the stats don’t look great, Shorr-Parks said in his synopsis of Hurts’ day overall that he “didn’t have as bad of a day as the stats indicate. He was playing without Devonta Smith for all of the team drills. Still, 3 turnovers, no touchdowns and no points in the final drive is not a good day for Hurts or the Eagles offense.”
START PREPARING: PFN’s Free Fantasy Draft Simulator
The fans on social media were quick to criticize Hurts after it was revealed that he threw three interceptions.
“No wonder A.J. Brown wanted out, lmao meatball sub throwing RB,” one account said about Hurts referring to him as a running back.
“AJ and Patullo ain’t scapegoats this year, who they gonna blame next?” another fan added, referring to Brown and former offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo.
AJ and Patullo ain’t scapegoats this year, who they gonna blame next? 🤔 https://t.co/E9NorxwkdZ
— Groovy Tony ⚗ (@HugoStiglitz_) August 19, 2026
“I bet AJ on the other side laughing hard as hell,” one fan said.
One fan wrote, “Wow, he (Hurts) was tossing meatball subs all day and got shut out. In freaking 7-on-7. This is a joke of an offense without brown. Maybe a 6-7 win team.”
One more fan came out to defend Brown and wrote, “I can’t believe they were blaming my boy AJ… I’ll take him back on my Titans yesterday!”
I can’t believe they was blaming my boy AJ.
Shidd I’ll take him back on my Titans yesterday! 😂😂 https://t.co/wcATBAZzCC
— J Knight ⭐️ (@JeremiahKni26) August 19, 2026
What makes this “storyline” even more intriguing is that it all happened during an Eagles-Patriots joint practice. So, when Brown makes comments about not having talked to Hurts, and Hurts is putting up these numbers during training camp, that certainly adds intrigue, as the quarterback and wideout are quite literally steps away from one another.
To add, there have been fans on the other side, too. For example, Brown dropped a pass while covered by Eagles cornerback Quinyon Mitchell, and accounts like All About The Birds were saying things like, “Did he blame Jalen Hurts for that drop?”
Last season, with Brown, the Eagles’ offense ranked 23rd in PFSN’s Offense Impact metric, with a grade of 72.6.
We’ll see which team (and player) ultimately has the better season in 2026. The Eagles and Patriots do not play each other this season.
