New England Patriots star A.J. Brown could etch his name next to NFL legend Jerry Rice this season.
According to ESPN, New England Patriots star A.J. Brown could etch his name next to NFL legend Jerry Rice this season.
Brown has had four straight 1,000-yard receiving seasons and has hit 1,000 receiving yards in six of his seven NFL seasons.
Brown could become one of seven WRs to have seven or more 1,000-yard receiving seasons in his first eight years in the league, joining Mike Evans (eight), Lance Alworth (seven), Torry Holt (seven), Brandon Marshall (seven), Rice (seven) and Randy Moss (seven).
Brown had 78 catches for 1,003 receiving yards and seven receiving touchdowns last season with the Philadelphia Eagles. The Pro Bowler enters this season with 8,029 receiving yards and 56 receiving touchdowns in the NFL with the Tennessee Titans and Eagles.
Brown was heavily linked to the Patriots because Mike Vrabel coached him in Tennessee. The two are very close.
Brown also grew up a huge New England fan because of Tom Brady.
Since entering the NFL, Brown is fourth in the league in both receiving yards (8,029) and touchdown catches (56). Brown and Cincinnati Bengals superstar Ja'Marr Chase are the NFL's only two players with at least 1,000 receiving yards and seven-plus touchdown catches in each of the past four seasons.
Brown and Patriots QB Drake Maye have already developed a strong rapport on the field. That's great news for New England.
"Just giving more chances to him," Maye said about Brown. "You see with the ball in his hands, what he can do -- intermediate, short, deep. I'm not going to shy away from it, that's how I play. I'm going to keep going at it. It could be the fifth play in a row, I'm going to give him the rock."
The Patriots open the 2026 season with a Super Bowl rematch against the Seattle Seahawks. It will be fascinating to see if Maye and Brown connect for a TD in that contest.
“This offense is very complex you know and that's a good thing," Brown said. "A lot more thinking, you know it's not just sitting over there and you got your route…like the defense come you gotta adjust, you gotta like the routes and everything…I can't really get into too much.”
