
The New England Patriots couldn't catch a break in the season opener.
Even with Sam Darnold leaving the game with a hip injury just five plays into the season, Mike Vrabel's team couldn't get back at them for the Super Bowl loss.
If the 13-10 loss wasn't tough enough, they also lost star wide receiver A.J. Brown, potentially for more than a week.
Brown left the game after hurting his ankle on a catch and was ruled out shortly after; according to Patriots reporter Andrew Callahan, he was spotted wearing a walking boot.
"A.J. Brown just walked out of the Patriots locker room wearing a boot on his right foot. He left with an ankle injury and did not return," Callahan shared on his X account.
A.J. Brown just walked out of the #Patriots locker room wearing a boot on his right foot. He left with an ankle injury and did not return.
— Andrew Callahan (@_AndrewCallahan) September 10, 2026
The Patriots will have more time to rest before their Week 2 matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers, but still, this isn't encouraging news.
Brown has a history of missing time with injuries, and the Patriots will most definitely err on the side of caution with their biggest offseason addition.
Despite Maye's struggles against the Seahawks' "Dark Side" defense, Brown looked as sharp as ever early on in the game.
Before the injury, he hauled in three of four targets for 26 yards, and he was leading the team at the time, as expected.
The Patriots' passing game didn't look good after his departure, with Romeo Doubs dropping a would-be huge gain before one of Maye's interceptions.
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