The New England Patriots left Seattle with more than a season-opening loss to worry about after A.J. Brown exited with a right ankle injury, but a team captain surfaced a small measure of encouragement after the game.
Three-time first-team All-Pro safety Kevin Byard said he saw Brown in the training room following New England’s 13-10 loss to the Seattle Seahawks and came away encouraged by the receiver’s demeanor.
“I briefly seen him in the training room,” Byard said, via Patriots on CLNS. “He was in good spirits, so that was good to see.”
“I briefly seen him in the training room…He was in good spirits so that was good to see.”
That update matters after a concerning sequence in Brown’s Patriots debut.
The 29-year-old had his right ankle twisted underneath Seahawks cornerback Nehemiah Pritchett while reaching for a low throw from Drake Maye early in the third quarter. Brown remained down, received attention from trainers and eventually walked to the sideline before heading to the locker room.
NFL.com reported Brown underwent X-rays and was ruled out before the fourth quarter. Head coach Mike Vrabel did not have a medical update immediately after the game.
Byard Offers Encouraging Sign After Brown Injury
Byard’s comments don’t answer the larger question of how much time Brown could miss, but they provide a more positive snapshot following the troubling visuals surrounding the injury.
The veteran safety is also more than a casual locker-room voice. Byard joined the Patriots in March after earning his third first-team All-Pro selection with the Chicago Bears in 2025, when he led the NFL with seven interceptions. New England later named him one of six captains for the 2026 season. The Patriots’ official website lists Byard as a three-time first-team All-Pro and three-time Pro Bowler.
Brown’s health now becomes one of the Patriots’ biggest early-season storylines after the price New England paid to acquire him. The Patriots landed Brown from the Philadelphia Eagles in June for a 2028 first-round pick and a 2027 fifth-rounder, giving Maye a proven No. 1 target for an offense coming off a Super Bowl appearance.
His first regular-season game in New England showed why the Patriots made that investment. Brown caught three of four targets for 26 yards before leaving and drew a 34-yard defensive pass interference penalty that placed the ball at Seattle’s 2-yard line. Maye found rookie tight end Eli Raridon for a touchdown on the next play.
Brown also turned two of his three receptions into first downs, via The Boston Globe.
Brown’s Status Hangs Over Patriots’ After Late Collapse
The timing of Brown’s departure made the injury even harder to ignore. New England held a 10-0 lead in the third quarter but failed to score again, and Maye threw three fourth-quarter interceptions as Seattle rallied.
Brown’s absence cannot be pinned as the reason for that collapse, though his value to the passing game was evident. The Patriots traded for him to give Maye a physical target who can win in traffic and command attention downfield.
Maye took responsibility for the throw on which Brown was hurt, telling the Globe that he placed the ball too low and needed to deliver a better pass. He also expressed confidence that Brown would work aggressively toward a return.
The Patriots at least have additional recovery time before their next game. New England hosts the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sept. 20, giving Brown more than a week before the team has to make another game-day decision.
Until further testing or an official update provides clarity, Byard’s postgame account offers a welcome development that Brown was in the training room, in good spirits and around teammates after a frightening-looking ankle injury.
Patriots All-Pro Gives Encouraging A.J. Brown Update Following Injury