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A.J. Brown is off to a slow start to his Patriots career, and he’s calling for his teammates to open up the field for him.
The former Eagles star receiver and Super Bowl champion told reporters after the team’s 30-24 loss Thursday to the Bears that opposing teams are scheming their defenses around stopping him and that his teammates need to step up to help create opportunities for him.
“Every time I line up, you know, I get a lot of attention, so teams try to take me away,” Brown told reporters. “That gives a lot of opportunities for other guys to make plays and soften that up for me, and then whenever I get my shots, you know, I gotta make them.”
Brown had a second straight quiet game on “Thursday Night Football” since returning from a high ankle sprain sustained in Week 1 — finishing with three catches for 48 yards.
On a deep shot early in the third quarter, Maye dropped a pass in Brown’s hands and while Bears defensive back Malik Muhammad made a play on the ball and while it was not officially labeled a drop, Brown had his hands on it and wasn’t able to bring the pass down.
Brown dropped three passes the week prior against the Jets, and despite playing just three games, he is tied for eighth-most drops among all players, per Fox Sports.
It hasn’t been the start that the Patriots wanted when they brought Brown in this offseason in a blockbuster trade, as he’s failed to eclipse 50 yards in any game this season.
— Patriots on CLNS (@PatriotsCLNS) October 23, 2026A.J. Brown says that defenses are intentionally taking him out of the game:
"I know what type of player I am…I get a lot of attention, teams try and take me away and it gives a lot of opportunities for other guys to make plays."
–@CLNSMedia pic.twitter.com/Bh7f7J1XBb
The Patriots dealt a 2028 first-round pick and a 2027 fifth-round pick to the Eagles for Brown this offseason and they appear to be getting the worse end of that deal right now.
New England is also not getting much out of any of their skill players aside from Rhamondre Stevenson.
Last year’s all-purpose yards leader TreVeyon Henderson played just 25 percent of snaps Thursday, while Romeo Doubs and Mack Hollins battle injuries.
Drake Maye has righted the ship after a poor three weeks; he has 15 touchdowns and two interceptions in the four games since, throwing for 1,399 yards.