The New England Patriots are moving on from a tough Super Bowl LX defeat, and their newest star AJ Brown is already making an impression. Just days removed from a 37-13 preseason finale loss to the Cleveland Browns, wide receiver Brown sat down for an interview that has fans buzzing. His comments about a young Patriots quarterback are turning heads across the league.
AJ Brown Praises Drake Maye’s Humility and Grit
Brown made the jump from Philadelphia to New England this offseason, and he wasted no time getting to know Drake Maye, his quarterback in this new chapter. In a Friday sit-down interview with former Patriots safety Devin McCourty, Brown shared his early impressions of the young signal caller entering his third NFL season.
Brown described a quarterback who carries himself with more maturity than his age suggests, someone who takes accountability even when it is not warranted.
“He’s such a great guy. He always takes the blame for every little thing. I’m like, ‘Drake, it’s OK. It’s not that deep.’ He’s incredible! Fun to play with. I can’t wait,” Brown told McCourty.
#Patriots WR AJ Brown and QB Drake Maye sat down with @devinmccourty:
Brown on Maye: “He’s such a great guy. He always takes the blame for every little thing. I’m like, ‘Drake, it’s OK. It’s not that deep.’ He’s incredible! Fun to play with. I can’t wait.”
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@SNFonNBC) pic.twitter.com/eXAYUeyItT
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) September 4, 2026
The comments carry extra weight given Brown’s frustrations during his final season in Philadelphia Eagles, where friction with the coaching staff and quarterback Jalen Hurts became a recurring storyline.
Despite the tension, Brown still posted 1,003 yards and seven touchdowns on 78 catches in 2025, and he now ranks among just seven players in NFL history with at least 8,500 receiving yards and 60 receiving touchdowns through their first seven seasons. Now with the Patriots, Brown appears to have found a fresh start.
Meanwhile, Maye, who led the Patriots to an AFC Championship and eventually Super Bowl LX last season, paced the NFL in both completion rate (72%) and yards per attempt (8.9) in 2025. He is entering 2026 with a significantly upgraded receiving room, and Brown’s arrival gives him the true No. 1 target the offense lacked a year ago.
Inside AJ Brown’s Toughness Through Patriots Training Camp
Brown’s toughness has already become a talking point in New England. During a training camp practice, he dislocated his thumb early in the session but refused to come out, going on to score three touchdowns before the day ended.
“It’s tough, but I try to get back into that flow state really quickly,” Brown told reporters.
Brown revealed he suffered the same injury at Ole Miss in 2018 and finished that season without missing a game. That kind of resilience has quickly won over his new locker room, with tackle Will Campbell calling him a game changer for the Patriots offense.
With training camp behind him and Week 1 approaching fast, all eyes now turn to how Brown’s debut with Drake Maye will look under the bright lights.
The Patriots open the 2026 regular season on September 9 against the Seattle Seahawks, a rematch of their Super Bowl LX defeat. With Brown now leading the receiving corps and Maye under center, New England hopes for a very different outcome this time around.
More NFL News
- Fans Don’t Buy “Uneasy” Postgame Moment Between AJ Brown and DeVonta Smith
- AJ Brown Speaks Out on Comfort Level After Patriots Move
- Drake Maye Reveals the Brutal Reality of Patriots’ Super Bowl Loss That Still Eats at Him
- ‘A Small Step’ — Drake Maye Reveals What Must Change for Patriots QB To Reach Next Level
The post Patriots WR A.J. Brown Reveals Why QB Drake Maye Is ‘Incredible’ to Play With appeared first on Gridiron Heroics.
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