FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — New England Patriots wide receiver A.J. Brown will be sidelined for a minimum of four weeks because he's being placed on injured reserve with a right ankle injury, a person with knowledge of the move told The Associated Press on Friday.
The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the team hadn't announced Brown's status.
Brown was injured in the second half of New England’s season-opening 13-10 loss at Seattle on Wednesday night.
Another person with knowledge of his injury told the AP that Brown has a high ankle sprain. The person, speaking on condition of anonymity because the Patriots hadn’t announced the severity of Brown’s injury, said an MRI confirmed the diagnosis.
New England’s next game is its home opener on Sept. 20 against Pittsburgh.
Brown left the game early in the third quarter following an incomplete pass from Drake Maye. He was falling to the turf as he tried to make the catch, and Seahawks cornerback Nehemiah Pritchett’s knee made contact with Brown’s ankle, pushing it against the ground.
Brown had three catches for 26 yards before the injury.
His absence presents a challenge for an offense that was counting on him to be Maye's top receiving option after the team didn't bring back Stefon Diggs following a productive 2025 season. The Patriots traded for the three-time Pro Bowler in June.
Brown, 29, was durable during his four seasons in Philadelphia, playing in all 17 regular-season games in 2022 and 2023. That total dropped to 13 during the Eagles’ 2024 Super Bowl title season, and then 15 in 2025.
The Patriots also signed Romeo Doubs in free agency but traded Kayshon Boutte to Houston during training camp. Doubs didn’t have a catch on three targets against the Seahawks and had a costly drop on a second-and-14 in the fourth quarter that would’ve been a first down.
Offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels will now look for more production from Doubs, along with fellow receivers Mack Hollins, DeMario Douglas and Kyle Williams.
“Any injury that you get at this point and time of the season you kind of approach it with an all-hands-on-deck kind of approach,” McDaniels said during an interview Friday on WEEI radio. “We've got a lot of different skill guys that can do a lot of different things. There isn't one person on our roster that can replace anyone like A.J. in the middle of a game or for a stretch of the season. So, we'll band together and we'll figure out what we can do well and then try to get the guys in place to play to their strengths.”
Right tackle Morgan Moses said the offensive mentality doesn't change while Brown is sidelined.
“We don’t blink at all. It’s always been the next-man-up mentality,” he said after Wednesday's loss. “We know in that room we have some dogs. It’s not just one guy. When you have a room like that, full of guys that can make the play, you’re never thinking on one guy. The opportunity for the other guys to step up was there, and they did what they needed to do. A.J. (is) a professional, and he’ll do what he needs to do to get back.”
AP Pro Football Writer Rob Maaddi in Tampa, Florida, contributed to this report.
See AP’s full NFL coverage here
New England Patriots wide receiver A.J. Brown, center, runs with the ball as Seattle Seahawks safety Rodney Thomas II, left, and cornerback Nehemiah Pritchett, right, move in during the first half of an NFL football game, Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2026, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Stephen Brashear)
New England Patriots wide receiver A.J. Brown (1) is tended to on the field during the second half of an NFL football game against the Seattle Seahawks, Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2026, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — The NFL has told disgruntled receiver Brandon Aiyuk that he needs to repay the San Francisco 49ers about $13 million he previously received in bonuses as he tries to get reinstated to the team's roster.
Aiyuk has submitted his paperwork to the NFL to get back, and he arrived alongside new agent Drew Rosenhaus for a meeting Friday afternoon at the team's business offices, which are near the team facility at Levi's Stadium.
“Brandon is here to meet with the team. Fortunately he’s feeling good physically. He’s healthy, he’s ready to get back to work,” Rosenhaus said. “I don’t really have any comment about where he’s going to play. We’ll keep that between us and the Niners but obviously we’re here with all the right intentions.”
A person with knowledge of the situation said the league sent Aiyuk and the NFL Players Association a letter Thursday saying that he owes the 49ers the money based on bonuses he was paid after signing a four-year, $120 million extension just before the start of the 2024 season. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the letter was not released.
Aiyuk did not address the financial issues as he arrived for the meeting.
“I’m feeling great, feeling healthy. Long recovery process, long rehab process,” Aiyuk said. “But I’m back to 100 percent and looking to get reinstated into the National Football League.”
The meeting lasted about an hour, and Rosenhaus declined to share details. “To be continued,” he said.
Coach Kyle Shanahan said he would have no role in the meeting and didn't care at all what happens, saying that he has moved on from Aiyuk and the situation isn't a distraction at all.
“It’s been over for our football team for a long time,” Shanahan said. “I don’t hear much except questions about it today. But it’s not too big of a deal for me to answer.”
The Ringer first reported that the Niners were seeking the money back from Aiyuk.
San Francisco general manager John Lynch told the team's flagship radio station KNBR on Thursday that it was a “unique” situation that the team was trying to work through.
“My job is to look out for the best interests of the 49ers, and as such, in this particular situation, we’re working with the NFL management council to navigate through kind of a different situation,” Lynch said. “It’s fluid. I’m going to kind of leave it at that because I’ve been recommended to do so, and I think it’s the right thing to do. We’ll look for a pathway for both sides here that works.”
Aiyuk hasn’t played a game in more than two years since going down with a knee injury in October 2024 and has been on the reserve/left squad list after leaving the Niners late last season.
He fired agent Ryan Williams during his long-running dispute with the 49ers and was without representation until he recently hired Rosenhaus.
Aiyuk will remain under contract with the 49ers after he is reinstated by the NFL. Lynch previously has said he doesn’t expect Aiyuk to play for the Niners again.
The 49ers previously voided $27 million guaranteed in Aiyuk’s contract for 2026 for failing to participate in meetings and other team activities last summer when he was rehabilitating his knee injury.
Aiyuk signed the big extension just before the start of the 2024 season following a lengthy contract hold-in that kept him out of training camp. He was coming off a 2023 season when he had 75 catches for 1,342 yards and seven touchdowns and was a second-team All-Pro.
Aiyuk had only 25 catches for 374 yards in seven games in 2024 before getting injured. The 28-year-old has 294 catches for 4,305 yards and 25 TDs since being drafted in the first round in 2020.
AP Pro Football Writer Rob Maaddi contributed to this report.
See AP’s full NFL coverage here
FILE - San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk warms up before an NFL football game against the Arizona Cardinals in Santa Clara, Calif., Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn, File)
