A.J. Brown Injury History: Patriots Star’s Timeline After Ankle Injury image
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A.J. Brown’s New England Patriots debut ended much earlier than anyone hoped.
The star wide receiver suffered a right ankle injury early in the third quarter of Wednesday night’s season opener against the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field. Brown initially was listed as questionable to return before the Patriots officially ruled him out.
Brown was attempting to catch a low pass from Drake Maye on third-and-4 when a Seattle defender appeared to land on his ankle. He remained on the field while being examined by New England’s medical staff before slowly walking to the sideline. Brown entered the blue medical tent and eventually went to the locker room. NBC sideline reporter Melissa Stark reported during the broadcast that Brown underwent X-rays. The Patriots did not immediately announce the results.
The 29-year-old caught three passes for 26 yards before leaving. He also drew a defensive pass interference penalty near the goal line that helped set up New England’s first touchdown of the season.
Brown’s latest setback adds another entry to an injury history that has included knee, hamstring and chest issues.
A.J. Brown Injury History Timeline
September 2026: Right Ankle
Brown injured his right ankle during the third quarter of his Patriots debut against Seattle. The team initially called him questionable to return before downgrading him to out.
August 2026: Dislocated Thumb
Brown dislocated his left thumb during a training camp practice. He reportedly had it put back into place and continued practicing without missing time.
October 2025: Hamstring
Brown suffered a hamstring injury during his final season with the Philadelphia Eagles. He missed the Eagles’ Week 8 game against the New York Giants before returning following Philadelphia’s Week 9 bye.
August 2025: Hamstring
Another hamstring issue kept Brown out of multiple training camp practices before Philadelphia’s preseason opener. The injury did not prevent him from playing in the regular-season opener.
November 2024: Knee
Brown left Philadelphia’s Week 9 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars with a knee injury. He avoided an extended absence and was cleared for the following game against the Dallas Cowboys.
September 2024: Hamstring
Brown injured his hamstring during a practice before Philadelphia’s Week 2 game against the Atlanta Falcons. He missed three consecutive games before returning in Week 6.
January 2024: Right Knee
Brown injured his right knee during the Eagles’ regular-season finale against the Giants. He exited in the first quarter and missed Philadelphia’s playoff loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
November 2021: Chest
Brown suffered a chest injury while playing for the Tennessee Titans against the Houston Texans. Tennessee placed him on injured reserve, forcing him to miss three games before he returned in December.
September 2021: Hamstring
A hamstring injury forced Brown out of Tennessee’s Week 3 game against the Indianapolis Colts. He missed one game before returning.
January 2021: Both Knees
Brown underwent cleanup procedures on both knees following the 2020 season. The surgeries addressed issues he played through that year but did not affect his availability for the beginning of the 2021 season.
September 2020: Knee Bruise
Brown suffered a bone bruise in his knee early in his second NFL season. He missed two games before returning against the Buffalo Bills.
MORE: A.J. Brown Injury Update: Patriots WR Exits Game vs. Seahawks With Ankle Issue
Patriots Now Await Answers On Brown
Brown’s documented history looks lengthy, but there also have been extended stretches of impressive durability. He did not miss a regular-season game during the 2022 or 2023 seasons. Still, Draft Sharks’ injury analysis labeled Brown a high injury risk entering 2026. Its model projected a 61% chance of injury and estimated he would miss 2.6 games. Those figures are projections and not a medical diagnosis.
The more important information now will come from the Patriots after Brown receives additional evaluation. New England acquired Brown to become Maye’s primary receiving weapon and transform its passing attack. His first Patriots game offered an early glimpse of that potential before the ankle injury created an immediate and unsettling question about his availability moving forward.
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