Brown's Patriots Debut Cut Short by High Ankle Sprain — SkimNews
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- A.J. Brown is believed to have suffered a high ankle sprain during his Patriots debut, with X-rays negative for a fracture and an MRI scheduled Thursday to determine how much time he'll miss, per sources to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo.
- Brown exited early in the third quarter of New England's 13-10 loss to Seattle after Seahawks cornerback Nehemiah Pritchett's right knee landed on his ankle during a third-down incomplete pass from Drake Maye.
- The Patriots traded a 2028 first-round pick to acquire Brown from the Philadelphia Eagles on June 1, meaning the debut injury came before Brown could establish a return on that trade capital.
- Brown still delivered a positive contribution before the injury, drawing a defensive pass interference penalty on an underthrown Maye deep ball to set up rookie tight end Eli Raridon's 2-yard touchdown — New England's lone score.
- New England has an extended layoff until its Week 2 home game against Pittsburgh on Sept. 20, giving Brown potential extra recovery runway before the team is next on the field.
Why it matters: New England paid a 2028 first-round pick for Brown on June 1, so losing him to a multi-week injury in his very first game delays any return on that trade capital and forces Maye to build timing with new receivers under center. The Patriots next play Sept. 20 against Pittsburgh, giving Brown a built-in recovery window — but only if Thursday's MRI confirms a diagnosis milder than feared.
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