It was a scary moment early in the second half for the New England Patriots. Star wide receiver A.J. Brown left the Week 1 opener against the Seattle Seahawks with an injury.
Quarterback Drake Maye was trying to hit Brown on a third-down conversion, but Brown became tangled up with a Seahawks defender. He didn’t get up once the pass fell incomplete, though he was able to eventually walk off under his own power.
The Patriots got a reprieve on that drive, due to a roughing the punter penalty. However, when the offense went back out on the field, Brown didn’t join them.
Prior to exiting the game, Brown led the Patriots in receiving. He had three receptions for 26 yards in the first half of a defensive battle. The only touchdown when Brown exited was caught by rookie tight end Eli Raridon.
DeMario Douglas and Mack Hollins are the only two other wide receivers who have catches for the Patriots halfway through the third quarter. Tight ends and running backs have made plays as well, but it’s been a quiet night for the receivers themselves. That includes new signing Romeo Doubs.
New England Patriots Say A.J. Brown is Questionable to Return
Shortly after A.J. Brown exited the game, NBC sideline reporter Melissa Stark was able to share a brief injury update.
The New England Patriots say that Brown is officially questionable to return. It’s an ankle injury, and he’s getting checked out in the injury tent.
“The Patriots telling us that their new addition wide receiver A.J. Brown is questionable to return because of an ankle injury,” Stark reported. “We saw him grabbing that right ankle. Limp off the field. He’s now in the medical tent with the head athletic trainer and the team doctor. They took his cleat off, and he remains in there.”
Brown would later head to the locker room. He walked slowly on his way there, going for further evaluation. That, it turned out, would include an X-ray.
“Meanwhile, A.J. Brown,” Stark added later in the third quarter, “Is now in the X-ray room.”
Going into the fourth quarter, the Patriots announced that Brown would not return. The exact nature of the injury, however, remains unclear.
Injuries Were a Concern for A.J. Brown in 2025
One of the great strengths for A.J. Brown as a wide receiver is his physicality. Unfortunately, that can also leave him liable to getting injured, and they’re starting to become a topic of conversation in his career.
Brown only played in 13 games in 2024. In 2025, he managed 15 games. Knee issues have, in particular, become the topic of conversation around Brown. That includes, when the Philadelphia Eagles were looking to trade him, whether his knees were going to be something that cost them value in return for a star receiver.
The Patriots felt good about Brown’s health. Good enough that they sent a first-round pick back for Brown, in what was a hotly debated move. Still, it was worth it for them to land someone who is capable of changing their entire offense.
A silver lining to the Brown injury is that it’s an ankle injury and not a knee injury. However, the severity of that injury is still up in the air, and it’s obviously better if he didn’t suffer any injury at all.
Patriots WR A.J. Brown Exits Week 1 vs. Seahawks with Injury