The day after the New England Patriots‘ injured wide receiver A.J. Brown was spotted in the team’s locker room walking in cleats without any noticeable limp, four weeks after suffering a high ankle sprain in the season opener against the Seattle Seahawks, a prominent sports doctor issued an optimistic outlook on when the three-time Pro Bowl pick could be back in action.
Brown can come off injured reserve on Oct. 18, and Dr. Jesse Morse sees a good chance the Patriots receiver plays against the New York Jets in Week 6.
The Patriots have not committed to activating Brown for the Jets game at Gillette Stadium, and earlier projections ran six to eight weeks, putting a return on Oct. 22 against the Chicago Bears, or even the following week on Nov. 1 versus the Miami Dolphins. Schefter later said Brown looked more like a six-week return than an eight-week one. The Bears game is a Thursday Night Football slot, so a Week 7 return would bring Brown back on a shortened week.
Brown reached for a low Drake Maye throw early in the third quarter of the Sept. 9 opener in Seattle, and cornerback Nehemiah Pritchett’s knee landed on his right ankle, according to NFL.com. An MRI confirmed a high ankle sprain, and NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported a projected absence of at least four weeks.
New England then placed Brown on injured reserve, which sidelined him for the Steelers, Jaguars, Bills and Raiders games at minimum, according to CBS Sports.
| NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS 2026 SCHEDULE | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, MA • Record: 2-2 | ||||
| REGULAR SEASON — RESULTS | ||||
| WK | Date | Opponent | Result | W-L |
| 1 | Wed, Sep 9 | @ Seattle Seahawks | L 13-10 | 0-1 |
| 2 | Sun, Sep 20 | vs Pittsburgh Steelers | W 20-3 | 1-1 |
| 3 | Sun, Sep 27 | @ Jacksonville Jaguars | L 35-6 | 1-2 |
| 4 | Sun, Oct 4 | @ Buffalo Bills | W 29-26 | 2-2 |
| REGULAR SEASON — UPCOMING | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WK | Date | Opponent | Time (PT) | TV |
| 5 | Sun, Oct 11 | vs Las Vegas Raiders | 10:00 AM | CBS |
| 6 | Sun, Oct 18 | vs New York Jets | 10:00 AM | CBS |
| 7 | Thu, Oct 22 | @ Chicago Bears | 5:15 PM | Prime Video |
| 8 | Sun, Nov 1 | @ Miami Dolphins | 1:25 PM | CBS |
| 9 | Sun, Nov 8 | vs Green Bay Packers | 1:25 PM | Fox |
| 10 | Sun, Nov 15 | vs Detroit Lions | 6:30 AM | Fox |
| 11 | BYE WEEK | |||
| 12 | Sun, Nov 29 | @ Los Angeles Chargers | 5:20 PM | NBC |
| 13 | Sun, Dec 6 | vs Buffalo Bills | 1:25 PM | CBS |
| 14 | Thu, Dec 10 | vs Minnesota Vikings | 5:15 PM | Prime Video |
| 15 | Mon, Dec 21 | @ Kansas City Chiefs | 5:15 PM | ESPN / ABC |
| 16 | Sun, Dec 27 | @ New York Jets | 10:00 AM | CBS |
| 17 | TBD (Flex Game) | vs Denver Broncos | TBD | TBD |
| 18 | TBD (Flex Game) | vs Miami Dolphins | TBD | TBD |
| @ = road game, vs = home game • Weeks 17 and 18 dates, times and networks to be determined (flex scheduling) • Week 7: Thursday night at Chicago | ||||
Could Brown Suit Up in Week 6?
Morse, a board-certified sports and family physician, wrote Thursday that Brown will be “a little limited” coming off what the doctor labeled a Grade 2 high ankle sprain. Morse, it should be noted, is not the Patriots’ team doctor, and the club has not publicly graded the injury.
“The hope is that he’ll be back Week 6,” NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo said on NFL GameDay Kickoff, as quoted by LosTalksPats. Garafolo stressed that the hope is not a firm expectation, though the Jets game is the first one Brown is eligible to play.
Earlier projections ran longer. ESPN’s Adam Schefter said in late September the injury was supposed to last six to eight weeks, though Brown looked to be “moving pretty well.”
Brown walked through the locker room without a limp Wednesday, according to the Boston Herald‘s Andrew Callahan, who noted the day marked four weeks since the injury.
New England averaged 15 points through its first two games, a figure among the league’s five lowest, and coach Mike Vrabel said the team needs Brown healthy and in the lineup quickly, according to Boston.com. Brown topped 1,000 yards in each of his four Philadelphia Eagles seasons, including 1,496 in 2022 and 1,456 in 2023.
How the Patriots Landed A.J. Brown
The trade took shape over months. Brown aired frustration about his role in Philadelphia’s offense, a game-day clash with coach Nick Sirianni added tension, and a March report called his exit inevitable, according to Pro Football Rumors.
Cap issues and the trade price hampered the talks. Philadelphia general manager Howie Roseman wanted a first-round pick, New England resisted offering one before the draft, and the Los Angeles Rams held discussions that never produced a deal, Pro Football Rumors reported.
A trade completed after 4 p.m. on June 1 let the Eagles split Brown’s roughly $43.3 million dead-cap charge across 2026 and 2027, Gridiron Experts reported. Philadelphia moved him to New England that day for a 2028 first-round pick and a 2027 fifth-round pick, reuniting him with Vrabel, his coach in Tennessee from 2019 to 2021.
Patriots Get Encouraging A.J. Brown Injury Outlook From Sports Doctor