New England Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels says he sees a lot of retired tight end Rob Gronkowski in A.J. Brown.
"There's a force to the way he plays the game," McDaniels said Tuesday, according to Mike Reiss of ESPN. "Maybe the closest thing I've seen is Gronk. This is a big guy."
After months of speculation linking Brown to the Patriots, the franchise officially acquired the 28-year-old from the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday in exchange for a 2028 first-round pick and a 2027 fifth-rounder.
At 6-foot-1, Brown doesn't quite measure up to the 6-foot-6 Gronkowski, but his addition gives 2025 MVP candidate Drake Maye a proven, big-bodied receiving threat. Brown has averaged 15.3 yards per reception over his career with 8,029 yards and 56 touchdowns on 524 catches.
"Adding players like this only helps your football team," McDaniels said, according to Mike Kadlick of Sports Illustrated.
Brown said the Patriots have been his favorite team since he was a kid and called the move to New England a "dream come true."
