New England Patriots wide receiver AJ Brown was ruled out for the remainder of his team’s season-opening loss to the Seattle Seahawks after suffering an ankle injury late in the third quarter.
Brown went down while battling Seahawks cornerback Nehemiah Pritchett on a pass that fell incomplete. The play forced Brown from the field and he did not return. The Patriots lost the game 13-10.
Prior to exiting, Brown had caught three of four targets for 26 yards. According to the broadcast, he underwent X-rays after leaving the game. Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel told reporters after the game he did not have an update on Brown’s status.
Andrew Callahan of the Boston Herald reported Brown was seen leaving the locker room wearing a boot on his right foot. The team will provide further medical details when tests are complete and staff are ready to comment.
Implications And Background
Brown was making his Patriots debut after New England acquired him in a blockbuster trade with the Philadelphia Eagles that sent a 2028 first-round pick and a 2027 fifth-round pick to Philadelphia. Expectations were high for Brown following his productive tenure with the Eagles.
Over four seasons in Philadelphia Brown accumulated 5,034 receiving yards and 32 touchdowns, as reported in team summaries. He has shown relative durability in recent years, appearing in 62 of a possible 68 regular-season games over the past four seasons, though he missed four contests in 2024 with hamstring problems.
The injury arrives amid broader health issues for both teams on opening night. Seattle’s starting quarterback Sam Darnold suffered a hip injury on the opening drive and was later ruled out. The Patriots will monitor Brown’s condition closely as they prepare for a Week 2 game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, and the team has expressed hope he can return.
The immediate outlook for Brown remains uncertain. New England’s medical staff will evaluate imaging and testing results. The club and coaching staff have not offered a timeline for his potential return, and further updates are expected once additional information is available.
