Mike Vrabel details relationship with AJ Brown
Speculation about AJ Brown’s future with the Eagles continued to grow Wednesday when Mike Vrabel talked about his relationship with Brown.
Jan 11, 2026; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown (11) looks on prior to an NFC Wild Card Round game against the San Francisco 49ers at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
Bill Streicher-Imagn ImagesAJ Brown fueled speculation about staying with the Eagles when he winked at Julian Edelman, who made a comment about everyone being a Patriot, during an episode of the Dudes on Dudes podcast.
Connections to New England run deep for Brown, who played under Mike Vrabel at Tennessee. The star receiver has previously shown off his signed Tom Brady and Julian Edelman jerseys with a radiant smile. Saquon Barkley, his teammate in Philadelphia, even said on ESPN that Brown is “a huge Patriots fan.”
Vrabel emphasized the importance of building relationships with all of the players he has coached, but he shared that he has remained close with Brown even after their time in Tennessee came to an end.
“I think the relationship with players, and specifically you asked about AJ, it has meant a lot,” Vrabel said. “I've watched him grow. I've watched him mature. I'm proud of him, proud of the father that he is, I'm proud of the husband. That has nothing to do with where he plays or where he played, so those are the things that are important. We reach out and text each other during the good things that happen to each other. Sometimes things don't go so well for the people that you're close with, and you text for those as well. It's been a two-way street of support and reminders of what got us to where we are here today.”
The Patriots would likely have to trade for Brown, who inked a three-year contract worth $96 million with $84 million guaranteed in April 2024, if they decided he'd be a fit in New England. The Eagles further fueled rumors about Brown playing for a different team in 2026, as Nick Sirianni told reporters at the NFL Combine that he can’t guarantee anything this offseason.
“Well, I think that we'll look at everything that we can possibly look at to add to our roster,” Vrabel said in a media scrum to Boston-based reporters. “There's a lot of things that go into trades. There's a lot of back and forth and taking on compensation, and so I'm sure there'll be a lot of opportunities for us to talk about trades. Not only this week, but as we prepare and get closer to the draft, those are things when time ramps up.”
