The New England Patriots will be without their standout wide receiver, A.J. Brown, for their upcoming Week 2 game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Gillette Stadium. Brown’s absence follows a high-ankle sprain he sustained during the season opener.
Brown’s injury is not new, but rather a lingering issue from the first game of the season against the Seattle Seahawks. After suffering the injury in Week 1, the Patriots placed him on injured reserve last week, making him unavailable for the next minimum four games.
Details of the Injury
The injury occurred in the third quarter of the Patriots’ narrow 13-10 loss to Seattle on September 9. Brown was targeted on a crucial third-down pass from quarterback Drake Maye when Seahawks cornerback Nehemiah Pritchett landed his knee on Brown’s right ankle as the receiver went down.
Brown immediately grabbed his ankle and was ruled out for the rest of the game. An MRI confirmed that he had suffered a high-ankle sprain. Despite the injury, Brown managed to finish his Patriots debut with three receptions for 26 yards on four targets. He also drew a significant 34-yard pass interference penalty, setting up New England’s only touchdown of the game.
Since being placed on injured reserve on September 11, Brown is required to miss at least four games, which means the earliest he could return to action is in Week 6. The Patriots will now have to adjust their offensive strategy without one of their key playmakers for the foreseeable future.