Patriots WR A.J. Brown leaves season-opening loss to Seahawks with ankle injury
New England Patriots wide receiver A.J. Brown suffered a high-ankle sprain during the team's season-opening loss to the Seattle Seahawks. Brown, a major offseason acquisition, left the game in a walking boot, and his return timeline remains uncertain.
Why it matters
The injury is a significant blow to the Patriots' offense, impacting their competitive outlook for the early part of the 2026 NFL season.
Like the Seattle Seahawks losing quarterback Sam Darnold , it didn't take long into the 2026 season for the New England Patriots to experience a big injury.
Receiver A.J. Brown , the biggest acquisition of the offseason for New England in a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles , grabbed his lower right leg after an incompletion in the third quarter of Wednesday night's opener against the Seattle Seahawks and stayed down as the athletic training staff came out to check on him. He was later ruled out for the rest of the game with an ankle injury, and the Seahawks went on to rally for a 13-10 win .
Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel wasn't able to provide any information about the receiver's status after the game, though Brown was reportedly seen leaving the locker room in a walking boot on his right foot.
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