Picture this: It’s 2019. The NFL Draft buzz crackles like a tailgate grill on a crisp October Sunday. A starry-eyed receiver waits by the phone, dreaming of catching spirals from the GOAT in Foxborough. But the gridiron gods had other plans—plans involving a draft-day snub so brutal it’d make The Sopranos finale look wholesome. Fast-forward to today, the tears have dried, the trophies have piled up, and a signed Brady jersey has reignited a flame that never died.
This isn’t just a story about missed opportunities. It’s about how Bill Belichick’s Patriots fumbled a generational talent—AJ Brown—because two college kids laughed too hard during a visit. Think Moneyball, but with less math and more misjudged vibes. Now, as Brown basks in Philly glory and Belichick’s legacy flickers like a dying stadium light, the football world questions: How did we get here?
On April 26, 2019, Belichick opted for Arizona State’s N’Keal Harry over Ole Miss’s AJ Brown and South Carolina’s Deebo Samuel. Why? Per Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer, Brown and Samuel’s playful banter during a pre-draft visit rubbed Belichick incorrectly. “They weren’t taking the visit seriously enough,” Breer wrote. The result?
Harry became a Patriots bust (57 catches in three seasons), while Brown evolved into a Philadelphia phenom. Now flash to April 2025…
Brown unboxes a signed Tom Brady Patriots jersey, grinning like a kid who just found a Willie Mays rookie card in his attic. “Appreciate you, big bro… the best to ever put a pair of cleats on,” he posted.
For a guy who once sobbed in his closet over New England’s rejection, this moment was sweeter than a Waffle House pecan pie. But the irony? Brady’s gift arrived as the Patriots crumbled like a stale pretzel in a beer garden. Let’s hope they buckle up this draft season…
REMINDER:
Bill Belichick didn’t draft AJ Brown or Deebo Samuel because he thought they were having too much fun on a visit
Per: @AlbertBreer
“Before that draft, Patriots scouts were high on (South Carolina’s) Deebo Samuel and (Ole Miss’s) A.J. Brown. The two came to… pic.twitter.com/DQ9tTrLpLt
— Savage (@SavageSports_) April 2, 2025
From tears to triumph: Brown’s redemption arc
“I just knew I was going to the Patriots,” Brown recalled on Bussin’ With The Boys in 2020. “Left everybody at the house and went home. I went in the closet and cried my eyes out.” Those tears fueled him. As a rookie, Brown helped Tennessee stun New England in the 2019 Wild Card game—Brady’s Foxborough farewell. Meanwhile, Harry floundered, getting traded to Chicago for a seventh-round pick.
The Patriots’ receiver woes deepened, with Belichick whiffing on picks like Tyquan Thornton (2022) and JuJu Smith-Schuster (2023). Brown, though?
He’s thriving. After a Super Bowl LIX win with Philly, he’s become the NFL’s most electric wideout—a human highlight reel who dances past defenders like they’re traffic cones. And that Brady jersey? It’s not just memorabilia.
It’s a blazing reply to doubters, a symbol of what could’ve been if Belichick valued joy over jargon…
Patriots fans: Bitter, defensive, and everything in between
Patriots Nation is split like a poorly carved Thanksgiving turkey over New England’s AJ Brown call. “Bill definitely straightened out his slinkies when he was a kid,” joked one fan on X, mocking Belichick’s rigid demeanor. Others defend the Harry pick: “And at the time no one had a problem with it. I remember Twitter that night. People were very happy.” But most lean into the pain.
“Wish he drafted aj smh imagine how much diff if woulda been Brady prob retires a pat tbh,” lamented another. Then there’s the Gronk comparison. “And yet they drafted Gronk after he showed up at Gillette and took a nap on a conference table (as he tells the story). I’m not buying this reasoning. Bill was just bad at drafting receivers,” quipped a critic, referencing Rob Gronkowski’s legendary pre-draft antics.
Even Bill Belichick’s genius remains questioned!
“Bill can be credited just as much with the terrible situation we’re in now as he could be with all the success we’ve had over the past couple decades,” wrote one fan. So, where does this leave us?
PHILADELPHIA, PA – OCTOBER 30: Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver AJ Brown 11 celebrates during the game between the Pittsburg Steelers and the Philadelphia Eagles on October 30, 2022 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, PA. Photo by Andy Lewis/Icon Sportswire NFL, American Football Herren, USA OCT 30 Steelers at Eagles Icon221030040
Belichick’s Patriots era—a dynasty once compared to The Godfather trilogy—now feels more like a canceled Netflix show. Brown, meanwhile, wears his Brady fandom like a badge of honor, proving that greatness recognizes greatness. As for New England’s future? It’s murkier than a Boston Harbor fog.
In the end, AJ Brown’s story isn’t just about draft-day tears or signed jerseys. It’s a reminder that even in the NFL’s cutthroat world, joy and talent often trump stoicism and structure. Or, as The Sandlot’s Smalls would say: “Heroes get remembered, but legends never die.”
Brady’s jersey now hangs in Brown’s locker—a legend’s gift to a star who outran doubt, one touchdown at a time.
The post Calls Mount Against Bill Belichick’s Patriots for Rejecting AJ Brown After Eagles WR’s Priceless Reaction to Signed Tom Brady Jersey appeared first on EssentiallySports.
