The New England Patriots walked out of Gillette Stadium with their first victory of the 2026 season, a 20-3 decision over the Pittsburgh Steelers, yet the afternoon may be remembered more for what they lost than what they gained.
Starting right guard Mike Onwenu left the game late in the first quarter and is feared to have suffered a season-ending leg injury, according to NFL insider Jordan Schultz.
The team had not confirmed a diagnosis or a timetable by Sunday evening.
Onwenu went down when Steelers edge rusher T.J. Watt rolled into the back of his right leg as quarterback Drake Maye was sacked.
The 28-year-old remained on the turf before a cart carried him to the locker room. New England quickly listed him out with an ankle injury. Veteran Greg Van Roten stepped in at right guard and finished the remaining 40 offensive snaps.
The line still held up well enough for the Patriots to post 136 rushing yards, including a 39-yard touchdown by TreVeyon Henderson.
Maye completed 14 of 22 passes for 208 yards as New England protected a lead for three quarters. Afterward the young quarterback called the situation heartbreaking and praised Onwenu as a gritty player who has filled multiple roles and battled through injuries since arriving as a sixth-round pick in 2020.
Onwenu had been the most reliable piece of the offensive line. He started every game at right guard over the previous two seasons and logged 99.1 percent of the team’s offensive snaps in 2025.
In March 2024, he signed a three-year, $57 million extension. The Patriots reworked the deal in May, trimming his 2026 cap charge by $7.5 million while locking in $10 million in guarantees.
The final year of the contract would have made him an unrestricted free agent in 2027. Instead his immediate future now depends on the severity of the injury.
New England’s decision to sign Van Roten in August suddenly looks prescient. The 36-year-old arrived after backup center Ben Brown was hurt in the preseason.
He brought 144 regular-season appearances and 105 starts, including 17 at right guard for the Giants last year. His one-year contract is worth $3 million and can reach $4.5 million with incentives.
Maye said he has full confidence in Van Roten and the experience he and right tackle Morgan Moses provide on that side of the line.
The Patriots left the field with a win and a defense that smothered Pittsburgh. If Schultz’s report holds, they also left with a season-long adjustment in front of Maye and a reminder of how quickly a promising start can be rewritten by one play.
