SEATTLE — Patriots wide receiver A.J. Brown left the visitors locker room wearing a walking boot on his right foot after Wednesday’s 13-10 road loss to the Seahawks, a dispiriting sight for most everyone else around him.
But the words Brown left with his teammates in that locker room were more encouraging.
“He told us that everything was going to be all right,” Patriots wide receiver Romeo Doubs said postgame. “I’m glad he’s doing really well.”
Doubs also admitted the Patriots would need “a plan” without Brown, indicating the team’s new No. 1 receiver is expected to miss some time with the ankle injury he sustained in Wednesday’s third quarter. Doubs and Patriots defensive captain Kevin Byard both said Brown was in good spirits postgame. Patriots coach Mike Vrabel did not offer an update on the receiver’s status in his postgame press conference.
Brown stayed on the field for several moments after getting tangled with Seahawks cornerback Nehemiah Pritchett while Drake Maye targeted him with an incomplete pass on third down early in the third quarter. At that point, Brown led all Patriots receivers with three catches for 26 yards. He also drew a 34-yard pass interference penalty in the second quarter to set up the Pats’ only touchdown.
In his absence, the Patriots struggled to move the ball, though, reserve wideout Mack Hollins stepped up with three second-half catches, including one for a fourth-down conversion on the offense’s final drive. Hollins was also the intended target on Maye’s last pass attempt, an end-zone interception with less than a minute left that killed their hopes of a comeback.
Vrabel is scheduled to address the media on Thursday at 2 p.m. and may provide an update on Brown’s status then. Without him, their receiver depth is down to Doubs, who had zero catches on three targets Wednesday, Hollins, DeMario Douglas, Efton Chism III and Kyle Williams.
The Patriots will return to game action on Sept. 20 for their home opener against the Steelers. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. from Gillette Stadium.