After falling short in the Super Bowl last season, the New England Patriots are looking to finish as champions for the first time since Super Bowl LIII in 2019. One of their biggest acquisitions in pursuing that goal, though, may miss significant time this season. Wide receiver AJ Brown, who was acquired in a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles this summer, hurt his ankle early in the second half of the season-opening Super Bowl LX rematch with the Seattle Seahawks.
Brown was down on the field after a pass thrown his way was broken up, and multiple trainers and medical professionals tended to him for an extended period. Brown ultimately was able to walk off the field, though he had a noticeable limp. The team said he was questionable to return with an ankle injury, and he was undergoing x-rays to see the extent of the damage.
Deepak Chona took to X, formerly Twitter, and said he expects the Patriots to "lean toward sitting" Brown for the rest of the game given the nature of the injury. Chona noted that it appeared to be a high ankle sprain, which "tend to cause production dips when played thru." That specific injury is something that likely worries Patriots fans, as it's common in football and other sports but typically requires multiple weeks to recover. Because it involves a "tear or damage the high ankle ligaments that connect the tibia to the fibula," according to the Cleveland Clinic, it causes pain and can affect performance.
In some cases, it can even make walking or climbing stairs difficult. While high ankle sprains can take six to eight weeks to heal on their own, it can be different for sports. "If you’re an athlete, your return to play might take an even longer time," the clinic wrote.
That injury typically doesn't require surgery, though it can become necessary if severe enough. A lot remains to be determined regarding Brown's injury, but one thing is for sure: Patriots fans are surely holding their breath and praying that their new star can return without missing too much of this season. He's caught more than 1,000 yards in six of his seven previous NFL seasons, and the three-time All-Pro will surely be needed by quarterback Drake Maye and the rest of the Patriots as they seek another deep playoff run.
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