After months of speculation, three-time Pro Bowler A.J. Brown finally made his way to the New England Patriots this offseason. His discord with the Philadelphia Eagles became a major sticking point and eventually culminated in a successful trade on June 1.
Former Patriot and NFL legend Tom Brady reacted to the move and gave his blunt opinion on the dilemmas that often create ruckus inside the locker room. Apparently, an NFL veteran took issue with those remarks and offered a counterargument.
Former NFL Player Has a Counterargument for Tom Brady
Getting a high-end wideout like Brown is certainly a major achievement for the Patriots. One of the primary reasons behind Brown’s trade was underutilization. It wasn’t just one or two games, but a series of matchups in which the Eagles failed to utilize his services. Brady hopes things could change in New England.
According to the seven-time Super Bowl champion, it is not often that all wide receivers get equal opportunities. Some are utilized well, while on other days, players end up being targeted only once or twice.
However, Brady mentioned that the Eagles’ offensive scheme was not pass-oriented anyway, but rather built around the run. The Patriots, on the other hand, rely heavily on their receivers, and quarterback Drake Maye is known to utilize his resources well.
Former Cincinnati Bengals star T.J. Houshmandzadeh claimed Brady never found himself in a situation like this. He never had a receiver like Brown, who complained about not getting the ball enough.
BUILD YOUR OWN TOP 100: PFN’s FREE NFL Top 100 Builder
“When he (Brady) goes crazy on the sideline, it’s cool, it’s passion for him. GTFOH!… like when he speaks, it’s not the Bible,” the 11-year NFL veteran said on the talk show “Speakeasy,” adding that it was a series of games that ultimately influenced Brown’s decision.
“Nobody’s gonna complain about double-digit catches, two catches, [and then] double-digit catches… Nobody’s complaining about that. You complain when I have one catch, four catches, three catches, one catch. Over a period of time, there’s a pattern. That’s when you complain, when you go four, five, and six weeks in a row,” he explained.
BE THE GM OF YOUR FAVORITE TEAM: PFN’s FREE NFL Mock Draft Simulator
Well, indeed, there’s a pattern in Brown’s targets and receptions. He had double-digit targets only once in the first nine games of last season. In 2025, he recorded 78 receptions for 1,003 receiving yards. Had he been targeted more consistently early in the season, he could have racked up even more impressive numbers. As Brady mentioned, things could be different in New England.
Last season, Drake Maye averaged 28.9 pass attempts per game, far more than Jalen Hurts averaged over the last two years. Brown, who is certainly in his prime, can become an important piece of the Patriots’ offensive playbook heading into the 2026 season.
