FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Wide receiver A.J. Brown summed up his first day with the New England Patriots this way: "Obviously I know this ain't heaven. But it's close to it."
Less than 24 hours after the Patriots acquired him from the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for a 2028 first-round pick and 2027 fifth-round pick, Brown took part in his first practice Tuesday with the team he dreamed of playing for as a youngster.
"I was just talking to my mom and saying, 'I'm still in awe.'" Brown said shortly after the practice. "Walking up the hill with the uniform, I was like, 'Man, this is real.' I caught myself at one point in practice, I wasn't paying attention because I was like, 'dang.' Just trying to take it all in as much as I can."
Brown said he quickly returned to work, but the moment captured his emotions of joining the defending AFC champions. In doing so, Brown also deflected questions about how his time with the Eagles ended after four seasons.
"I won't get into details about it, but I'm excited for the opportunity. I'm here now," he said. "None of that stuff matters. What's done is done. I'm here. Moving forward."
Of the health of his knee, he added: "No injury. Nothing to worry about. I'm ready to go."
Brown shared how he had dreamed of being selected by the Patriots in the first round of the 2019 draft and was crushed when the team selected Arizona State wide receiver N'Keal Harry instead at No. 32. He told reporters he left his draft party and sat dejected in the closet of his bedroom because he had wanted to play with quarterback Tom Brady.
Now entering his eighth NFL season, Brown said of the Patriots: "Better late than never. We're right on time. I'm so excited."
Brown also shared why he elected not to wear jersey No. 11 -- which was available in New England and what he wore with the Titans and Eagles -- and instead will don No. 1.
"[Patriots Hall of Famer] Julian Edelman gave me his grace to wear No. 11, but I got so much respect and love for him. I'm going to let that be and create my own legacy here," he said. "It's just getting back to my roots. I was No. 1 all the way until I got up to the league."
Brown relayed that he was asked to lead players in the stretch line at Tuesday's practice but declined because he said he wants to earn that respect before doing so.
At the end of his news conference, he was asked how much he feels he has left in the tank.
"You'll see," he said with a smile, before walking off.