After a high-profile trade with the Philadelphia Eagles, the New England Patriots had high hopes that the three-time All-Pro and Super Bowl 59 champion receiver would mesh quickly with their MVP-caliber quarterback, Drake Maye. But injury issues have muddled Brown's debut Patriots campaign, as he has just nine total receptions and three games played so far in the 2026 season.
And only just over a couple of weeks after Brown finally came back from a Week 1 high-ankle sprain, he has unfortunately been ruled out for Sunday's matchup with the Miami Dolphins. The scary part for Brown and the Patriots is that it has little to do with that previous injury. Brown won't play as he recovers from a knee issue that flared up late during the last week of practice.
Woof.
That doesn't necessarily sound like something limited to a one-week problem, but good on the Patriots for being proactive with Brown's health at the midseason mark.
Patriots downgrade A.J. Brown and TreVeyon Henderson to out for Sunday’s game versus the Dolphins.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 31, 2026
Indeed, Brown's knee problem will likely linger into a multi-week absence, with an unclear timeline for a return to the Patriots' lineup at the time of this writing. The Patriots hope Brown will be back for a Week 9 game against the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, November 8th, but that will depend on how his knee feels during the upcoming week of practice.
AJ Brown’s knee injury could linger into future weeks.
— Savage (@Savageboston) November 1, 2026
Per: @RapSheet pic.twitter.com/XuUL12Covn
Brown was supposed to be one of the Patriots' offensive focal points. We'll see how Maye and company fare without the veteran playmaker, no matter how long his absence lasts.
Who is A.J. Brown's backup on the Patriots?
Kyle Williams is listed as Brown's backup on the Patriots' official depth chart. Williams is in his second NFL season after being selected in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: When will A.J. Brown come back to the Patriots?
