A.J. Brown opens up on Jalen Hurts relationship: “We’re not as close”
A.J. Brown says there’s “no bad blood” with Jalen Hurts despite growing apart, addressing long-running speculation about their relationship.
In the last few years, the dynamic between wide receiver A.J. Brown and quarterback Jalen Hurts has been dissected by fans, analysts, and anyone watching the Philadelphia Eagles closely. And the drama only intensified last season when Brown requested a trade and did not attend Hurts’ wedding.
Now that he’s been traded to the New England Patriots, Brown has addressed it directly.
A.J. Brown finally explains distance with Jalen Hurts
In a recent interview, the star wide receiver acknowledged that he and Hurts are no longer as close as they once were, while pushing back on the idea that anything dramatic caused the shift.
“Not as close as we once were, and I believe that’s fine,” Brown said. “There’s no bad blood. There’s actually still a lot of love.”
AJ Brown admits he and Jalen Hurts aren't as close as they used to be and haven't been for a couple of years, but says there's no bad blood between them.
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) June 2, 2026
“Nothing happened. People just grow apart.”
(📽️ @MariaTaylor, @7PMinBrooklyn) https://t.co/DkM9OPE2l2 pic.twitter.com/c1ogRyidgt
Brown was firm in emphasizing that the change in their relationship was not tied to any specific incident.
“Nothing happened,” he said. “People just grow apart.”
He added that the distance between them has existed for “a couple of years now”, even as the two continued to perform at a high level on the field. Despite that, Brown made it clear their connection as teammates never suffered.
“We still competed. We still pushed each other. We still led the team,” he explained.
Why the relationship became a storyline
The Eagles’ offense has revolved around Hurts and Brown in recent years, making any perceived tension between the two a natural focal point.
As one of the league’s top quarterback-wide receiver duos, their connection has been under constant scrutiny, particularly during moments when the offense struggled or emotions appeared visible on the sideline. Brown acknowledged that attention, but questioned why it became such a central narrative.
“I didn’t truly understand why our friendship became the center of everybody’s attention when it came to football,” he said.
In reality, his comments suggest the situation may have been far more ordinary than it was often portrayed. Rather than conflict, Brown described something much simpler and more relatable.
“Life happens,” he said. “You look up sometimes and you just find yourself drifting away. And that’s fine.”
He also emphasized that the change didn’t stem from issues between families or anything behind the scenes.
“There’s nothing like that. Nothing ever happened,” Brown added.
Brown’s comments are unlikely to completely quiet outside noise, but they do reframe the conversation. Instead of a fractured relationship or unresolved tension, he describes a connection that simply changed over time but never impacted what mattered on Sundays.
Now, that chapter is officially closed. Following his trade to the Patriots, Brown moves into a new phase of his career, one that removes the day-to-day spotlight on his relationship with Jalen Hurts and shifts the focus entirely to what comes next.
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