New England wide receiver A.J. Brown had another fruitless performance during the Patriots’ Week 7 loss to the Chicago Bears on Thursday evening. Brown, who has had a slow start to his career in New England, amassed 48 receiving yards on 3 receptions against the Bears.

After Brown’s shaky Thursday night performance, former Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Emmanuel Acho slammed the wide receiver’s start to life in New England.

Emmanuel Acho Delivers Brutal A.J. Brown Verdict

During Friday’s segment of the “Speakeasy” podcast, Acho was highly critical of Brown’s performances for the Patriots after his blockbuster move from the Eagles earlier this year.

“I will start with Drake Maye, but eventually, A.J’s gotta do something,” Acho said. “After the Patriots’ last game, when A.J. had four drops, if I’m not mistaken, including, like, a muffed onside recovery, I said it’s a bad sign, not just a bad game. At this point, it’s not a bad sign. It’s an awful sign; it’s a terrible sign. It’s a concerning sign. It’s an embarrassing sign. A.J. Brown has played three games with the Patriots.

“Does he have 100 yards in the three games combined? I’m not entirely sure. 101 yards on 9 receptions, and it’s not for lack of trying. He’s still an NFL player, making $100 million. I love A.J. I’m not here to slander A.J., but I’m here to say Romeo Doubs is gone. A.J., they acquired you for this reason. Outside of you, they have a 5’9 receiver whose name is forgotten to me. A.J. it’s you…. You’re the 6’2, 225 pound, 45 running Hall of Fame talented-having receiver.”

Brown’s reunion with Mike Vrabel was expected to be the perfect match after the former Ole Miss star was selected No. 51 overall by the head coach’s Tennessee Titans in the 2019 NFL Draft.

The wide receiver strung together two consecutive 1,000-yard seasons in Tennessee and established himself as one of the league’s most potent offensive weapons under Vrabel.

After joining the Eagles in 2022, Brown posted a career-high 1,496 receiving yards that season, but his receiving-yardage total declined in each of his four years in Philadelphia. His frustrations with Philadelphia’s passing offense became increasingly public in 2025, with ESPN later reporting that some of his frustration stemmed from Hurts’ play.

Brown has missed four games this season after a high ankle sprain sustained in the Patriots’ Week 1 loss to the Seattle Seahawks, which forced New England to place him on injured reserve. He has tallied 101 receiving yards on 9 receptions for New England this season.

The Patriots’ acquisition of Brown was expected to be the missing piece that would turn New England into consistent Super Bowl contenders after last season’s adventure, but the expected explosive connection between the wide receiver and quarterback Drake Maye has failed to materialize. The Patriots boast a grade of 74.9 (No. 14 in the NFL) inPFN’s NFL Offense Impact.