A.J. Brown already feels at home as a Patriot

After seeing the Patriots select N’Keal Harry with the 32nd pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, A.J. Brown hopped in his car and left his draft party. He headed back to his room, sat in his closet, and cried.

“That was a tough night. It was a tough night. I joked about it earlier. I said the Patriots have been breaking my heart over the years,” Brown said. “But that night, I was looking forward to getting picked, going in the first round. I was projected to be a first-round pick. You know, obviously, things can go off another way, and the 32nd pick, they took another receiver. As soon as the pick came in, I was already in my car, leaving my draft party. I went back to my room, went into the closet, and just kind of tried to gather myself because I was disappointed. Somewhere that I wanted to be. Obviously, I wanted to play with Tom. So that didn’t happen. But everything happened for a reason.”

The next day, Brown was selected by Mike Vrabel’s Tennessee Titans with the 51st overall pick. He later told the former Patriot that he had hoped it would be New England calling his name.

“I think when we drafted him, he was like, ‘I wish the Patriots drafted me,’” Vrabel said. “The success that this team had in those years when a lot of our players were growing up, it would be easy to root for a lot of players that played for this team in the early 2000s.”

Seven years, two teams, six 1,000-yard seasons, and three Pro Bowl appearances later, Brown is finally getting his chance to play for the team he grew up rooting for, and he couldn’t be more excited.

"Better late than never,” he said. “We're right on time. I'm so excited."

That excitement was obvious from the moment he arrived. As Brown walked up the hill and onto the practice fields behind Gillette Stadium, he did so grinning ear-to-ear, taking in his new home.

At one point, he even caught himself zoning out during practice, still processing his new reality.

“I’m still in awe,” Brown said. “Walking up the hill with the uniform on, I was like, ‘Man, this is real.’ I caught myself at one point of practice – I wasn’t really paying attention because I was just like, ‘Damn, I’m a Patriot.’ Just trying to take it all in as much as I can. Obviously, I got back to work quickly. There are levels to it, and I’m enjoying it. Obviously, I know this ain’t heaven, but it’s close to it.”

Since entering the league in 2019, Brown ranks fourth in both receiving yards and receiving touchdowns. He and Ja’Marr Chase are the only players with at least 1,000 receiving yards and seven-plus touchdown catches in each of the last four seasons.

Adding that type of production has Brown’s new teammates and coaches just as energized as he is.

“There's a force to the way that he plays the game. So, looking forward to getting used to the things that he can do that I don't know about, which I'm sure there are many of those,” Offensive Coordinator Josh McDaniels said. “Had an opportunity to have a few different receivers come into our system at times — you've heard about them, you've seen them, you've watched them play on tape, but then to actually get them on the grass and watch them do different things, it just brings the picture to life. So, looking forward to seeing all those things.”

“Very exciting,” Cory Durden added. “Obviously, he’s a big-time playmaker. He’s been an established player in this league. It just kind of shows us how serious our coaches are about winning, just going to get a guy like that.”

The Patriots have spent years searching for a true No. 1 receiver.

They now hope Brown, who is under contract through the 2029 season, can provide a long-term answer at the position for a team that has had just one 1,000-yard receiver over the last six seasons.

But how much does the soon-to-be 29-year-old have left in the tank?

“You’ll see,” he said with a smile.