Aug 22, 2026; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel looks on in the first half against the Philadelphia Eagles at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Edward Finan-Imagn Images
Edward Finan-Imagn Images
The New England Patriots got smacked around during their season opener. New England lost 13-10 against Seattle in heartbreaking fashion after Drake Maye imploded in the second half. To make matters worse, the Patriots are still unsure exactly how long they could be without A.J. Brown.
Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel gave an injury update on Brown following the team's disappointing showing in Week 1.
“We’re running more tests, but we’ll update you here next week. Wasn’t able to finish the game and we’ll continue to evaluate, continue to run tests,” Vrabel said on Thursday, via Mike Kadlick. “I don’t know if he’ll be available here going forward for next week, but we’ll see.”
Brown's injury is believed to be a high-ankle sprain based on the latest reporting. However, the Patriots plan to run more tests to determine the severity of the injury.
It was no coincidence that New England struggled in the second half with Brown on the sideline. The veteran receiver got tangled up with a Seahawks defender in the early stages of the third quarter. He did not return after leaving the game and the Patriots failed to score once without Brown's help.
The Patriots may be forced to rely on Mack Hollins and DeMario Douglas a lot more if Brown ends up sidelined. New England also has newcomer Romeo Doubs, but he barely got any playing time against Seattle. That is another concerning development, especially after Doubs signed an $80 million contract this offseason.
New England has 10 days before their Week 2 matchup against Pittsburgh. If Brown does look like he'll miss that game, the Patriots at least have plenty of time to work on a contingency plan.
Either way, Patriots fans have to be hopeful that Brown gets healthy as soon as possible.