A.J. Brown's life changed on April 28, 2022.
That was the night of the first round of the 2022 NFL draft, and the night Philadelphia Eagles shook up the league's landscape with a blockbuster trade for Brown, who was acquired from the Tennessee Titans in exchange for the 18th and 101st picks in that year's draft.
Three years later, and it's clear who "won" the trade. Brown has starred for the Eagles, racking up three straight 1,000-yard seasons while helping the club win Super Bowl LIX over the Kansas City Chiefs. Meanwhile, the Titans, who went on to select wide receiver Treylon Burks with the No. 18 selection, waived the former first rounder on July 28.
And while Brown largely looks back fondly on the draft-day trade, he also empathizes with Burks, his counterpart in the deal.
"I'm grateful that happened. I outgrew that situation at Tennessee," Brown said during a recent episode of the Pardon My Take podcast. "I'm glad this happened, because I felt like I was meant to shine. We needed a big team with a big market, and I think this is the right place and the best fit for me. I am a little sad for Treylon Burks.
"I wish he could get healthy, because he is a good kid. I talk to him numerous times; I've got his number. And it sucks to see it go down like that."
Burks's three-year stint in Tennessee was marred by injuries, and he tallied just 699 receiving yards and one touchdown reception during that span. It would be all too easy for Brown to gloat about how well he has fared since leaving Tennessee, but he instead took the time to understand how Burks could be feeling on the other side of the situation.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as A.J. Brown Empathizes With Titans Trade Counterpart Treylon Burks After Release .