09/11/26 04:36:00
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09/11 16:31 CDT A.J. Brown heading to injured reserve, will miss at least 4
weeks with ankle injury, AP source says
A.J. Brown heading to injured reserve, will miss at least 4 weeks with ankle
injury, AP source says
By KYLE HIGHTOWER
AP Sports Writer
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) --- New England Patriots wide receiver A.J. Brown will
be sidelined for a minimum of four weeks because he's being placed on injured
reserve with a right ankle injury, a person with knowledge of the move told The
Associated Press on Friday.
The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the team hadn't announced
Brown's status.
Brown was injured in the second half of New England's season-opening 13-10 loss
at Seattle on Wednesday night.
Another person with knowledge of his injury told the AP that Brown has a high
ankle sprain. The person, speaking on condition of anonymity because the
Patriots hadn't announced the severity of Brown's injury, said an MRI confirmed
the diagnosis.
New England's next game is its home opener on Sept. 20 against Pittsburgh.
Brown left the 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 had three catches for 26 yards before the injury.
His absence presents a challenge for an offense that was counting on him to be
Maye's top receiving option after the team didn't bring back Stefon Diggs
following a productive 2025 season. 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. That total dropped 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.
Offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels will now look for more production from
Doubs, along with fellow receivers Mack Hollins, DeMario Douglas and Kyle
Williams.
"Any injury that you get at this point and time of the season you kind of
approach it with an all-hands-on-deck kind of approach," McDaniels said during
an interview Friday on WEEI radio. "We've got a lot of different skill guys
that can do a lot of different things. There isn't one person on our roster
that can replace anyone like A.J. in the middle of a game or for a stretch of
the season. So, we'll band together and we'll figure out what we can do well
and then try to get the guys in place to play to their strengths."
Right tackle Morgan Moses said the offensive mentality doesn't change while
Brown is sidelined.
"We don't blink at all. It's always been the next-man-up mentality," he said
after Wednesday's loss. "We know in that room we have some dogs. It's not just
one guy. When you have a room like that, full of guys that can make the play,
you're never thinking on one guy. The opportunity for the other guys to step up
was there, and they did what they needed to do. A.J. (is) a professional, and
he'll do what he needs to do to get back."
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AP Pro Football Writer Rob Maaddi in Tampa, Florida, contributed to this report.
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See AP's full NFL coverage here
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