A.J. Brown’s first game as a member of the New England Patriots took an uneasy turn Wednesday night in Seattle.
Early in the third quarter of New England’s season opener against the defending champion Seahawks, the veteran receiver went down on a third-down slant from Drake Maye. The throw arrived low.
Seattle cornerback Nehemiah Pritchett broke it up and landed on Brown’s right ankle. Brown stayed on the turf, then rose and limped toward the sideline with help from trainers.
He disappeared into the blue medical tent. Officials soon listed him as questionable to return with an ankle injury, via ESPN’s Field Yates.
A short time later, he left the sideline altogether and headed to the locker room for further evaluation. At that point he had three catches for 26 yards on four targets and had already drawn a pass-interference flag that set up New England’s first touchdown.
The moment carried extra weight because of how Brown arrived in Foxborough. In June the Patriots sent a 2028 first-round pick and a 2027 fifth-rounder to Philadelphia to acquire the 29-year-old, reuniting him with Mike Vrabel, who had coached him in Tennessee.
After a Super Bowl title with the Eagles and years of 1,000-yard production, Brown was expected to give Maye a true No. 1 receiver as New England chased another championship run. His debut had begun promisingly. Then the ankle intervened.
High-ankle sprains of the kind some observers feared after watching the play can linger. There was no official diagnosis by the time Brown left the field, only the familiar language of “questionable” and the image of a star player sitting in the tent with his cleat off.
Romeo Doubs and DeMario Douglas stood ready to absorb extra targets if Brown could not return.
For fantasy managers and Patriots fans alike, the timing stung. Week 1 is supposed to be about first impressions, not injury reports.
Brown had spent the summer building chemistry with Maye and talking about how much he wanted to play fast and have fun in a new offense. The fun lasted two quarters.
Now the question is how long the ankle will keep him from doing what the Patriots paid a first-round pick to watch him do.
