The New England Patriots pulled off a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles to acquire wide receiver AJ Brown. This marks his first time playing for the AFC East team, but he will still celebrate a reunion.
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The veteran receiver will once again play for head coach Mike Vrabel, the man who currently leads the New England Patriots, after they previously spent time together in Nashville.
Back in 2019, the Tennessee Titans used a second-round pick to select Brown out of Ole Miss. He landed with the AFC South team, which featured Vrabel as head coach. Brown then spent three seasons with the Titans while playing under Vrabel.
This time in Tennessee, while not easy, had a major impact on Brown and his development into a big-play receiving option. He realized that Vrabel wanted to get the best out of him.
"When I first got to Tennessee he was extremely tough on me, and I didn't really understand what he was trying to do," Brown said during an interview with NBC Sports' Maria Taylor.
"Obviously he was trying to push me to become the player I am today, but he was just so tough. I remember a conversation, I was talking to him, like, 'You don't have to humble me. I came from humble beginnings.' I just never understood, he stayed on me all the time."
This time in Tennessee featured Brown delivering for the Vrabel-led team. He posted consecutive 1,000-yard receiving seasons as the Titans reached the playoffs three times. The 2019 season featured the Titans reaching the AFC championship game
The two will now work together once again as they enjoy a reunion in New England. They will try to get the Patriots back to the Super Bowl, and they will try to close out the 2026-27 season as NFL champions.
Vrabel has faith that this reunion will only provide more opportunities for Brown to deliver for his team while pursuing this goal.
"I think he loves football," Vrabel told reporters after the Patriots traded for Brown. "I think that he has a physical skill set. He's got great body control. I think he's strong at the catch point.
"But I also think as he's grown as a player and as a receiver, just the nuances of releases vs. press or playing vs. bracketed coverages or zone coverages. Plays physically with the football and has been a productive and consistent player."
