When the New England Patriots traded for Pro Bowl wide receiver AJ Brown this offseason, many believed he was the missing piece that could finally get the team over the Super Bowl hump.
Brown is a playmaker, and he was supposed to be quarterback Drake Maye’s top playmaker this year after New England parted ways with leading receiver Stefon Diggs shortly after the season ended.
However, Brown’s Patriots debut didn’t go according to plan. The 29-year-old wideout left in the third quarter of Wednesday’s season-opening loss to the Seattle Seahawks after suffering an apparent ankle injury.
He finished with three catches on seven targets for 25 yards.
AJ Brown’s Ankle Injury Could Be Serious
The question on every Patriots’ fan’s mind after the game was how serious was Brown’s injury.
No details were provided; however, Andrew Callahan of the Boston Globe shed some light on the situation — and it’s not the news anyone wanted to hear.
“A.J. Brown just walked out of the #Patriots locker room wearing a boot on his right foot. He left with an ankle injury and did not return,” Callahan posted on X.
While not definitive, the walking boot does signal Brown is dealing with a significant foot/ankle injury that needs more protection than the average scrape.
Given the team decided to immobilize Brown’s ankle, he could be dealing with a severe sprain or even a fracture.
Sports Doctor Sounds the Alarm on AJ Brown Injury
While it’s tough to speculate how serious an injury is from only watching video, Fantasy Points injury analyst Jeff Mueller believes he saw reason to be concerned on the play Brown was injured on.
In a video post on X, Mueller explained that Brown could be dealing with multiple injuries, including the worst-case scenario: a fracture.
“AJ Brown – Potentially a double whammy,” Mueller posted on X. “Concern for Right high ankle sprain but also Right PCL sprain as his knee slams into the turf. Typically wouldn’t add this part too, but given the angle/torque of his ankle I really hope his fibula didn’t fracture. Probably not though.”
The Patriots are expected to update Brown’s status sometime on Thursday or when he undergoes a more extensive medical evaluation.
Brutal AJ Brown Injury Update Emerges After Patriots-Seahawks