New England Patriots receiver A.J. Brown has been ruled out of Sunday's game against the Green Bay Packers with a knee injury, YahooSports reported Nov. 6, citing coach Mike Vrabel.
USA TODAY's Jacob Camenker used more cautious wording in his Nov. 6, 2026, report: Vrabel was not expecting Brown to play in Week 9. The knee injury had already kept Brown out of the Week 8 game against the Miami Dolphins.
Brown has nine receptions for 101 yards and no touchdowns in three games since joining New England, according to YahooSports. Camenker reported that the Patriots acquired him during the 2026 offseason.
No return date in the Nov. 6 update
The Patriots had not provided a timetable for Brown's return as of Camenker's report. Asked Nov. 4 whether another stint on injured reserve was a possibility, Vrabel limited his answer to Brown's condition that day.
“I can just speak on today and where he's at today and what we feel like he can do today,” Vrabel said, according to USA TODAY. “So, that's why I said he wouldn't be out there today.”
A short list of healthy receivers
Camenker reported that Romeo Doubs was on injured reserve with a shoulder injury, leaving New England with three healthy receivers on its 53-man roster: DeMario Douglas, Efton Chism III and Kyle Williams.
Mack Hollins offered a possible reinforcement. After a four-game absence related to a calf injury, he had been designated to return from injured reserve on Nov. 4. Camenker's Nov. 6 report did not confirm his availability for Week 9.
