Former Tennessee Titans wide receiver A.J. Brown avoided the worst of news after having his Patriots debut cut short due to injury.
According to a report from NFL Network, Brown is believed to have a high ankle sprain after X-rays came back negative for a fracture. Brown reportedly has an MRI scheduled for Sept. 10, which will reveal a timetable for his return.
Brown exited with a right ankle injury early in the third quarter of the Patriots' NFL opener, a 13-10 loss to the Seattle Seahawks on Sept. 9, after Nehemiah Pritchett landed on Brown's leg while defending a play. Brown initially remained on the sideline before entering the medical tent and later limping into the locker room.
hierarchy?
The Boston Herald later reported Brown left the stadium with a boot on his right foot. Brown had caught three passes for 26 yards in what was his first game reunited with former Titans coach Mike Vrabel in New England.
"We'll update you here next week," Vrabel told reporters Sept. 10. "(He) wasn't able to finish the game. (We'll) continue to evaluate. Continue to run tests. I don't know if he'll be available going forward here for the next week, but we'll see.
"I know that he'll do everything he can to get back as quickly as possible. Once we get the reports, we'll figure out what the treatment plan is."
Brown was traded to the Patriots from the Philadelphia Eagles in the offseason for a 2027 fifth-round pick and a 2028 first-round pick, partnering Brown with his first NFL coach. Vrabel led the Titans when the franchise drafted Brown in the second round of the 2019 NFL Draft, before later trading him to the Eagles in 2022.
AJ Brown Titans stats, tenure
In Brown's three seasons under Vrabel in Tennessee, he averaged 998 yards and eight touchdowns while the Titans made three playoff appearances, twice winning the AFC South and reaching the AFC Championship in 2020.
He was traded to the Eagles on the night of the 2022 NFL Draft for the No. 18 pick and a third-round selection. Brown has since played in two Super Bowls, winning one, while the Titans have posted four straight losing seasons. Entering the Patriots' season opener, Brown had recorded 524 catches for 8,029 yards and 56 touchdowns in seven NFL seasons.
Vrabel was fired by the Titans in 2023 and returned to a head coaching role with the Patriots ahead of last season. He led New England to a Super Bowl appearance while being named NFL Coach of the Year.
His success alongside Brown in New England remains to be seen, with the Patriots' WR1 now on the road to recovery.
Harrison Campbell can be reached at hcampbell@usatodayco.com and follow him on X (formerly Twitter) @hccamp.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Former Titans WR AJ Brown injury update after Patriots debut | Reports
