It's been a very odd week for Philadelphia Eagles fans as they work through the emotions of star wide receiver A.J. Brown being traded to the New England Patriots.
This wasn't an unexpected move, as it was actually the worst-kept secret in the NFL, with Brown and the Patriots always the ones expected to trade for months. Now that it has finally happened, there is a certain level of grief among Eagles fans.
There might be some anger about how things ended, but there were also some great moments that'll make fans sad. It's a lot to handle alone, but Eagles fans can walk through the grief process together and not have to do this thing alone.
Five stages of grief after A.J. Brown's departure from Philly
Denial - A.J. Brown isn't going to leave
This part of the grief process Eagles fans were going through even before the trade happened, as it was the one thing being said at the beginning of the offseason. Despite the fact that the signs were there, it was hard to believe that the Eagles would move on from a receiver who has been to two Pro Bowls and three second-team All-Pros with a Super Bowl title after just four years. Many Eagles fans were fooling themselves and praying that the organization could work something out with Brown.
Anger - He's the one that caused all of this
It was all those cryptic tweets and comments made during streams that turned Philly into a media circus throughout the 2025 season. While Brown has admitted that he did these things on purpose, it clearly did not work and only caused more problems. Plus, he was underperforming when the ball was being thrown his way, so all those messages about not being used were a waste since he wasn't even making plays in the first place.
Bargaining - Would a change in offensive coordinator help?
Brown isn't getting the targets he wants, so why not go to the source of the problem, which in this case is former offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo, and replace him with new play caller Sean Mannion? If Brown knew that he was going to get the ball more from a more competent coach, then maybe that would help. Well, turns out that didn't make the difference at all.
Depression - Eagles' roster got worse without A.J. Brown
It's sad to think about, but the Eagles got over 5,000 yards from Brown over the last four years, so that's a ton of production being lost there. He's one of the main reasons Philly made the Super Bowl twice in four years. While the Eagles are still a good football team, Brown leaving is a massive loss for them.
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Acceptance - He is gone, and we must roll forward with DeVonta Smith as WR1
There's nothing that can be done now with Brown out, but that doesn't mean it's all doom and gloom. DeVonta Smith looks like a number one receiver and will be ready to step in. Even with rookie Makai Lemon there, the future looks great at wide receiver, and with Mannion's play calling, quarterback Jalen Hurts has one of the best offenses he has had in his career.
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