Wide receiver A.J. Brown’s last days with the Philadelphia Eagles were marked by dissatisfaction and cryptic messages. While he won his one and only Super Bowl with Philadelphia, the relationship ultimately soured, and an exit plan was put in place. However, warnings are now being sent to his new team, the New England Patriots, regarding his behavior.
Asante Samuel Claims A.J. Brown Was the Problem at the Eagles
Suggestions about Brown being unhappy with the Eagles first surfaced in 2023 in an animated discussion with quarterback Jalen Hurts. The following offseason, trade rumors sprang up, but the receiver publicly denied being unhappy.
Friction became more palpable during the 2024 campaign, with claims of a deteriorating relationship with Hurts. The 2025 season turned out to be the last straw, as the wideout was traded to New England this past June 1. What started as sideline frustration turned into persistent tension, and now the Patriots will have to balance success with Brown’s antics.
Super Bowl champion cornerback Asante Samuel weighed in on Brown’s background during a segment on the “Say What Needs To be Said” podcast and what the Patriots must look out for.
“Whether we like it or not, nine times out of ten, we’ve experienced some sort of jealousy in our lives,” Samuel said. “Maybe it’s being jealous of something that someone has, or what they’ve accomplished.”
The wide receiver’s exit from Philadelphia was supposed to present both sides with a clean slate after much controversy. However, Samuel sees red flags in how the new Patriots star hinted at various issues in his interview with Maria Taylor.
“But what I don’t understand is why would A.J. Brown purposely set up a moment to say what he had to say, along with all the other signs he showed us?” Samuel added. “That only tells me A.J. Brown was definitely the problem, and the Patriots better watch out because people can’t hide from themselves too long.”
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One of the most notable recent examples of publicized drama between a wide receiver and his team was Antonio Brown’s episodes with the teams he played for in the few years leading up to his retirement. After logging seven 1,000-yard campaigns in an eight-year span with the Pittsburgh Steelers, his career fell off a cliff due to off-field antics and sour team relations.
Brown, who is now the clear-cut WR1 for the Patriots, will aim to avoid a similar fate. The receiver still has plenty to offer on offense, having recorded an 80.9 PFSN WR Impact score in 2025. He’ll just have to maintain a healthy relationship with the Patriots.
