Philadelphia Eagles' A.J. Brown 'Cried His Eyes Out' When New England Patriots Didn't Draft Him
Before his desire for a new contract forced a trade from the Tennessee Titans to the Philadelphia Eagles, receiver A.J. Brown was distraught that he didn't land with another franchise in the 2019 NFL Draft.
As the Bill Belichick Era in New England seemingly comes to an unceremonious end, a clip recently surfaced from a June 2020 interview that Brown did on 'Bussin' With The Boys' where he explained how upset he was when the Patriots took N'Keal Harry over him with the No. 32 pick in the 2019 NFL Draft.
"I just knew I was going to the Patriots, because I was a big Patriots fan," Brown said.
"I got a phone call and I was like 'This is it.' But it wasn't it, it was my agent. And he was like 'Just sit tight.' And I'm like 'OK.' He was like 'They finna take a receiver.' And I'm like 'OK, cool, bet.' I just saw that the time just kept going down on the Patriots clock. And I was like 'Uhh, they tripping. I don't know what the hell is going on.'
"So they end up picking, it said the pick was in. I know I ain't got a phone call by now. So I'm like 'This s*** is over.' So I told my brother, I told D, I said 'Bro, let's go.' And I left everybody at the house and went home. I went in the closet and cried my eyes out. I swear."
A.J. Brown of the Philadelphia Eagles is one of the NFL's elite receivers.
USA Today
Brown would last until the 51st pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, before he was selected by the Titans. In three seasons with the Titans, Brown had 185 catches for 2,995 yards. Led by running back Derrick Henry, the Titans would reach the AFC Championship Game in Brown's rookie season, including upsetting the Patriots 20-13 in the Wild Card Round. That loss turned out to be the final game that quarterback Tom Brady played with New England.
While Brown is now on his second team anyway, he still probably ended up better off not being drafted by New England. Perhaps he would have helped the Patriots to make a deeper run in 2019, but it feels like Brady and Belichick were destined to part ways after that season regardless. And given how the situation has deteriorated in New England since, Brown wouldn't have wanted to be stuck on the post-Brady Patriots.
