New England Patriots wide receiver A.J. Brown suffered a serious injury in the season opener against the Seattle Seahawks on Wednesday, September 9. Brown sustained the injury while attempting a catch at Lumen Field in the third quarter. The highly anticipated game was a rematch of Super Bowl LX, which Seattle won in February by defeating New England 29-10 to secure the franchise's second title.

The score was tied 10-10 when Brown exited the match after a Seahawks defender tumbled onto his leg. Medical staff rushed to attend to him on the field, and he later walked off to the sideline before heading to the locker room. The Patriots subsequently confirmed that Brown was ruled out for the remainder of the game due to an ankle injury.

Prior to his exit, Brown recorded three catches for 26 yards and drew a 34-yard pass interference penalty that set up New England's opening touchdown. His absence dealt a significant blow to the Patriots' offense as they fought to secure a victory in the tightly contested match.

Brown joined the Patriots on June 1 in a blockbuster trade from the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for a 2028 first-round draft pick. During his tenure with the Eagles from 2022 to 2025, he earned three NFL All-Pro selections, appeared in two Super Bowls - winning one - and posted four consecutive 1,000-yard receiving seasons.