By ROB MAADDI and KYLE HIGHTOWER AP Sports Writers
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — New England Patriots receiver A.J. Brown has a high-ankle sprain and will miss several games, a person with knowledge of his injury told The Associated Press on Thursday night.
The person, speaking on condition of anonymity because the Patriots haven’t announced the severity of Brown’s injury, said an MRI confirmed the diagnosis. Brown could miss anywhere from three to six games, depending on the way his ankle responds to treatment.
Patriots coach Mike Vrabel only said that Brown will undergo more testing following the right ankle injury in the second half of New England’s season-opening 13-10 loss at Seattle.
“I don’t know if he’ll be available going forward here for the next week, but we’ll see,” Vrabel said. “Once we get the report, we’ll figure out what the treatment plan is.”
New England’s next game is its home opener on Sept. 20 against Pittsburgh.
Brown left Wednesday night’s game early in the third quarter following an incomplete pass from Drake Maye. He was falling to the turf as he tried to make the catch, and Seahawks cornerback Nehemiah Pritchett’s knee made contact with Brown’s ankle, pushing it against the ground.
Brown was initially announced as questionable to return before the Patriots ruled him out at the start of the fourth quarter. Brown had three catches for 26 yards before the injury.
The injury is a blow for an offense that was counting on Brown to fill the void created after the team decided not to bring back Stefon Diggs following a productive 2025 season as the offense’s No. 1 receiver. The Patriots traded for the three-time Pro Bowler in June.
Brown, 29, was durable during his four seasons in Philadelphia, playing in all 17 regular-season games in 2022 and 2023, dropping to 13 during the Eagles’ 2024 Super Bowl title season, and then 15 in 2025.
The Patriots also signed Romeo Doubs in free agency but traded Kayshon Boutte to Houston during training camp. Doubs didn’t have a catch on three targets against the Seahawks and had a costly drop on a second-and-14 in the fourth quarter that would’ve been a first down.
___
Maaddi contributed from Tampa, Florida.
___
See AP’s full NFL coverage here
