The “New Heights” podcast is wrapping up its fourth season of episodes this summer, with Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce and his brother, former Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce , interviewing seven-time Super Bowl champion quarterback Tom Brady in the season finale. Early in the interview, Brady complimented Kelce’s play style and fantasized about what he and Kelce could’ve done together on the football field. “You’ve had a unique athleticism, Trav,” Brady said. “Silky-smooth route runner, incredible feel out there. I think, if I played with you, you would’ve had 110, 120 [catches] a year.” “Not that you don’t have that with Patrick,” Brady clarified. “But I liked your style of play, cause I feel like there was a way you ran routes where you always had an ability to feel the coverage and then turn in, even when they told you to turn [out], but who cares, because you’re open.” The most single-season receptions by a tight end with Brady was 82 by Rob Gronkowski in 2014. The better comparison for Kelce, in regard to the players Brady threw to, was the slot receivers: Wes Welker and Julian Edelman . “Julian did that a little for me; Wes did that a lot for me,” Brady continued. “Some guys don’t really have that feel.” “But I just watch you play, and I’m like, ‘Like that! Just like that,’” Brady exclaimed. The entire discussion with Brady was insightful and interesting, and it was cool to hear him compare Kelce to some of the most reliable targets he ever had in his career
Stefon Diggs was one of the linchpins of the New England Patriots breaking out in 2025, winning the AFC, and appearing in Super Bowl LX. However, his tenure proved to be a mere one-season flash after New England released the veteran wideout at the start of the offseason to create financial flexibility. Or has it? Diggs' departure began an overhaul at the position for the Patriots, who added Romeo Doubs in free agency and recently executed a blockbuster trade for A.J. Brown . While the top of the receiver depth chart has changed in Foxborough, Diggs has continued to linger on the free agent market and remains unsigned. Because he's still out there to be signed -- likely at a much cheaper rate than what he was set to cost under his previous deal with the Patriots -- there's been some speculation about a possible reunion. "I wouldn't say anything is off the table," head coach Mike Vrabel said Wednesday when asked directly about the team's interest in bringing Diggs back. "We would want to add anybody that could help us. I'm not gonna give a percentage on it, but I think we're happy with where we're at right now with the numbers and the people in the receiver room. "I appreciate Stefon as a person and as a player and what he did for us last year. I'll value that. Helped us win football games, helped us get to where we got, but right now I don't think that that's something that, you know, that we are exploring, but I would never say no." Last season, Diggs led the Patriots in receptions (85) and receiving yards (1,013). He also became the first 1,000-yard receiver for the franchise since Julian Edelman in 2019. Diggs' contributions also extended beyond the field and into the locker room, as he became one of the more prominent vocal leaders on the AFC Championship squad. Really, he was released because his base salary was set to increase from $2.9 million in 2025 to $20.6 million in 2026 and 2027, not because of a dislike for the player or his impact. That is likely why Vrabel is keeping the door slightly ajar. The quick answer is no. New England is suddenly pretty deep at the receiver position, particularly after signing Doubs and trading for Brown this offseason. Brown will serve as the No. 1 option and top deep threat for the Patriots, while Doubs will come in and likely adopt the role that has been left by Diggs in the short and intermediate area of the field. When you also account for Mack Hollins , Kayshon Boutte , Kyle Williams , DeMario Douglas , and Efton Chism III , the stable is crowded as it is before factoring in a possible Diggs return. A.J. Brown Kayshon Boutte Efton Chism III Mack Hollins Kyle Williams Jeremiah Webb Romeo Doubs DeMario Douglas Nick DeGennaro* * Rookie That said, the longer Diggs continues to sit on the market, the cheaper he likely becomes. Naturally, that makes a reunion more palatable, and if New England trades Kayshon Boutte at some point this summer (something that has been speculated since acquiring Brown), maybe Diggs could factor in as a third option/depth piece. It really depends on what Diggs is looking for at this stage of his career. He's set to turn 33 in the middle of next season, and if he's content with being a second-tier target for a contender, reuniting with the Patriots could make some sense. On the flip side, if Diggs wants to have the lion's share of the targets somewhere, he's better off waiting things out at this stage. With minicamps ongoing and training camp on the horizon, there will likely be an injury that pops up, which could create a bigger opportunity for Diggs than what he'd have in New England. After playing in Josh McDaniels' offense last season, Diggs can, in theory, slow play his free agency to see if a bigger role emerges due to injury or another circumstance. If it doesn't, he could explore a return to the Patriots, where he can plug right back into an offense he knows and with a quarterback with whom he already has a rapport
New Patriots wide receiver A.J. Brown has worn the No. 11 jersey throughout his NFL career, but in New England, he thinks of that jersey as Julian Edelman’s, and he won’t wear it with the Patriots. Brown said today that he and Edelman touched base and that Edelman was happy to have him wear 11, but Brown decided to go back to the No. 1 jersey he wore in college at Ole Miss. “Julian Edelman gave me his grace to wear 11, but I got so much respect and so much love for him, I’m going let that be, and I’m going to create my own legacy here,” Brown said. “And getting back to my roots, I was No. 1 up until I got to the league, and I tried to get No. 1 in Tennessee and I couldn’t because of Warren Moon, and even Philly, I tried to get No. 1, but Jalen [Hurts] just changed to 1 from 2. So it’s a match made in heaven going back to my roots, and it feels good.” The No. 1 jersey in New England was worn most recently by Ja’Lynn Polk, a wide receiver who had a brief and disappointing career in New England after the Patriots drafted him in the second round in 2024
After months of rumors, wide receiver A.J. Brown is finally officially a member of the Patriots , with New England sending a 2028 first-round pick and a 2027 fifth-round pick to the Philadelphia Eagles to get the deal done. Brown moves from one Super Bowl hopeful to another and, in doing so, fulfills a lifetime dream of joining his favorite childhood team. Coach Mike Vrabel has a lot of pressure on him going into year two with New England after making it to the Super Bowl , but coming up short last season. Adding Brown addresses one of the team's biggest weaknesses from 2025 and gives quarterback Drake Maye the WR1 that's needed to elevate his offense. Patriots fans got their first look at what a Maye-Brown relationship would look like, as No. 1 hit the practice field with his new team. This is pretty 😍 @DrakeMaye2 | @newbalance pic.twitter.com/RfthCcYoQw "I think just trying to improve our football team in every possible way, give our offense multiple weapons to build on what we did last year," Vrabel said , discussing the trade. Brown headed north also means a reunion is taking place. Vrabel was head coach of the Titans in 2019, when Tennessee drafted the wide receiver in the second round at No. 51 overall. Vrabel feels like familiarity is another bonus to bringing Brown in. "I think having experience with the person, to be able to add an accomplished NFL football player, receiver, premium player at his position, but someone that we also feel strongly about as a person and a competitor and a teammate. I appreciate [Executive Vice President of Player Personnel] Eliot [Wolf] for being able to work and get that done," the HC said. Brown has been tied to Patriots fandom for a while, dating back to his childhood. He revealed that he's had a Patriots rug in his home for years, has appeared on podcasts of former players and expressed his love for New England legends like Tom Brady and Julian Edelman . "This is my team. This is my team since I was a kid. I was doing what I was supposed to be doing with the Eagles, but this is it," Brown said. Vrabel joked that when the Titans took him in 2019, Brown wished it were another AFC team calling his name. "I think when we drafted him he said 'I wish the Patriots drafted me.' I said 'Well that didn't happen. The Titans drafted you,'" Vrabel said laughing. Brown comes to New England after some drama unfolded in Philly, with theories ranging from him being upset about targets to issues with teammates. Vrabel isn't concerned with getting to the bottom of it all and is instead looking forward to how the new acquisition can help the team. "I don't know what happened. I'm not trying to figure out what happened in Philadelphia. I'm trying to focus on what's going to happen here and try to get him acclimated to what we do and how to do it," Vrabel said. "Whatever happens or comes up, I can't say that there's not going to be things that come up with A.J., with any single player," Vrabel added. "This is a highly competitive game. Players want to win, players want to do everything they can to help their team, they want to make sure people are on the right page. So I don't get into a lot of that. I think what's most important is that those things don't carry into the locker room, that they get handled." Brown can now get started as that difference-maker for the defending AFC Champions, and one practice in, he is already impressing his coaches. Offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels had high praise for the 28-year-old, saying on Tuesday, "There's a force to the way he plays the game... Maybe the closest thing I've seen is Gronk. This is a big guy." The Patriots will open their regular season on Wednesday, Sept. 9, against the Seattle Seahawks in a Super Bowl LX rematch
A.J. Brown became the Patriots’ No. 1 wide receiver as soon as the trade with Philadelphia became official on Monday. Appropriately, Brown will wear No. 1 with his new team. The Patriots announced Brown’s new jersey number while announcing the trade that sent him to New England in exchange for a 2028 first-round pick and a 2027 fifth-round pick. He wore No. 11 in his three seasons with the Titans and his four seasons with the Eagles. That number, which wide receiver Julian Edelman once wore in New England, was available with the Patriots after they released quarterback Joshua Dobbs. Instead, Brown will go back to his college number. He wore No. 1 at Ole Miss
The New England Patriots have officially agreed to acquire wide receiver A.J. Brown in a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles. The Patriots will send Philadelphia a 2028 first-round pick and a 2027 fifth-round pick in exchange for Brown. Let’s break down what the moves mean for the team from a big-picture perspective. The Patriots have been searching for a true No. 1 pass catcher to anchor their offense since the days of Julian Edelman and Rob Gronkowski . Stefon Diggs filled that role admirably last season, but his release earlier this offseason put New England right back in the market. Enter A.J. Brown. Even with some decline in his game, the soon-to-be 29-year-old remains one of the NFL’s most productive and dominant wide receivers. Brown has posted four straight 1,000-yard seasons while earning three second-team All-Pro selections during that span. New England needed to continue supporting Drake Maye this offseason, and this move accomplishes exactly that by giving the young quarterback a proven top-tier target. “If he ends up being on our team, great. What a great player,” Maye said about Brown last week. Brown’s strengths as a receiver pair well with Maye’s skillset, while his ability with the ball in his hands would provide a big boost to an offense that ranked 27th in yards gained after missed tackles last season. All in all, adding A.J. Brown to the mix — along with New England’s other offseason additions — gives the Patriots offense a chance to be one of the best units in football. Brown’s arrival in Foxboro will have a ripple effect throughout the Patriots’ current wide receiver room. No player may be impacted more than Kayshon Boutte, who has not participated in the team’s voluntary offseason program this spring as he enters a contract year. Brown’s role in New England will largely overlap with the one Boutte currently fills on the outside, creating even more questions about the 24-year-old’s future with the team. A trade would seem likely — something Boutte himself may welcome in an effort to pursue a larger role elsewhere ahead of a potential payday. As for the rest of the Patriots’ receiver room, the depth chart slots in nicely behind Brown. Free-agent addition Romeo Doubs will takeover the No. 2 role, while Mack Hollins and Kyle Williams are the leading candidates for WR3 duties in 11 personnel groupings. Depending on how many receivers New England ultimately keeps on its 53-man roster, DeMario Douglas , Efton Chism III , and the team’s four undrafted rookie receivers would then compete for the remaining spot(s). In what is widely considered to be an extremely strong 2027 draft class, the Patriots keeping their first-round pick that year is a win. New England also previously held two fifth-round picks from the Garrett Bradbury trade earlier this offseason, and will now send one of those to Philadelphia. While losing a first-round pick in any year is difficult to swallow, parting with their 2028 first-rounder gives Mike Vrabel, Eliot Wolf, and Co. an entire third offseason to continue building the roster. New England would also have time to recoup some 2028 draft capital — whether during next year’s draft or through a potential player trade involving someone like Kayshon Boutte. Acquiring A.J. Brown also means the Patriots are acquiring the remaining four years on the wide receiver’s contract. Brown’s cap hit for the 2026 season is currently $6.79 million, with those cap numbers rising to $10.996 million in 2027, $17.883 million in 2028, and $23.591 million in 2029. The contract also carries a massive $53.52 million dead-cap charge in 2030 because of the Philadelphia Eagles’ unique contract structures, which often include multiple void years to spread option bonuses across additional seasons for salary-cap purposes. Given that structure, the Patriots may feel that restructuring Brown’s contract upon arrival is the best path forward, which would alter his cap figures moving forward. From the coaching
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Bill Belichick spent his NFL career always focused on the next play or the next game. With those days now behind him, it's about reflecting on the past. The former New England Patriots coach joined Fox News' Sean Hannity on the latest episode of the "Hang Out" podcast , where he spoke about a variety of topics from his Hall of Fame snub to Tom Brady's decision to join the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and everything in between. The coach's NFL days are long gone at this point. He departed the Patriots organization after the 2023 season, officially leaving the post in Jan. 2024 in what was framed as a mutual decision with team owner Robert Kraft. MORE: Tom Brady talks failure, comebacks, Bill Belichick in commencement speech It has been an up-and-down journey for Belichick in the years since. The current North Carolina Tar Heels football head coach has been in the news for his move to the college ranks and his personal relationships. Belichick was back on the NFL radar this offseason after news surfaced that he wouldn't be part of the 2026 Pro Football Hall of Fame class – something that left many in disbelief . The coach had always been known for keeping things close to the vest, or hoodie in this case. Now he's peeling back the curtain and speaking his mind. Here's a look at some of the highlights from Belichick's discussion with Hannity. Brady's 20th season with the Patriots was capped off with a pick-six to the Tennessee Titans ' Logan Ryan in the wild-card round. Rather than sign up for another year, the then-six-time Super Bowl champion quarterback opted for a new challenge. He signed with the Buccaneers ahead of the 2020 season, a decision that Belichick said was the right one. "Tom leaving was absolutely the right thing for him to do," Belichick told Hannity. "We didn’t have a good team in 2020. We just didn’t have a good football team. We had all those guys that left –[Rob] Gronkowski and [Julian] Edelman. Most of our team was gone. [Devin] McCourty and a few others were still there, but they were about to go too. We were just at the end." Belichick added that he was happy things worked out for Brady, saying they would've gone much differently if he had stayed in New England . "It wouldn’t have gone well in 2020 in New England," he said. "On this, I can guarantee that. We put everything we had into the '19 season, including paying him a lot of money at the end of the year without anything for it. There was no first right of refusal, there was no franchise tag, nothing. "And so we all understood that there was a good chance he would leave. And I think he made a great career decision, obviously. I wish we could have done more, but we went as far as we could. And look, he proved it – he played longer than anybody, played at a higher level than anybody. And again, tremendous credit to him. Nobody else did that – that was him." Longevity and continuity aren't easy in the constantly evolving world of sports. Despite those challenges, Brady and Belichick spent 20 seasons together, winning six Super Bowls. Many have debated for years whether Brady or Belichick deserved more credit for New England's success, but the coach revealed that it was a true partnership. "I learned so much from Tom," Belichick said. "I never played quarterback. Tom saw the game through a quarterback’s eyes. I saw the game through a coach’s eyes. Together, I think we both learned a lot from each other – Tom on how defensive coaches looked at him or looked at offense, and me on what a quarterback can do and what he can’t do, what’s hard, what’s easy, what I can see, what I can't see, and how you see the game." The coach later added that once Brady took over as the starter, everything was tailored to what Brady did best – both in play-calling and in how they built the roster. Still, Brady always wanted to make sure he was treated as one of the guys. "People say, well, I was hard on Tom and I yelled at Tom," Belichick said. "Yeah, I mean, at times
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