New England Patriots
Brown was listed as questionable to play Sunday alongside three others.
Wide receiver A.J. Brown’s health is in question less than two weeks after being activated from injured reserve. AP Photo/Greg M. Cooper
October 30, 2026 | 6:13 PM
3 minutes to read
An extra few days of rest between the New England Patriots’ Week 7 and Week 8 games seemed to help a number of injured players heal up.
However, one important individual’s health appears to have worsened since their Thursday Night Football loss to the Chicago Bears.
Here’s the full Week 8 injury report submitted two days before New England visits the Miami Dolphins Sunday.
A.J. Brown (ankle/knee) questionable
The headline of the week in Foxborough is undoubtedly wide receiver A.J. Brown’s latest injury: a knee issue that seemingly popped up in the last few days. Brown was activated from injured reserve not even two weeks ago after recovering from a high-ankle sprain he sustained in Week 1.
Brown, 29, played in two games since coming off IR on Oct. 17, and he hasn’t looked his best, to say the least. Quarterback Drake Maye targeted Brown 16 total times in Weeks 6 and 7, but he only came up with six catches for 75 yards and zero touchdowns.
His ankle didn’t seem to be the issue; perhaps there was some rust and hesitancy. Some bonus off-days leading into Week 8 were just what the doctor ordered, with hopes of setting him up for success in Miami this weekend.
Instead, after being unable to finish practice on Wednesday and not participating on Thursday or Friday, Brown is questionable for Sunday.
Head coach Mike Vrabel didn’t offer much information about Brown’s situation when asked during his Friday press conference.
“We’ll see how he comes in tomorrow (Saturday), and then we’ll make a decision,” Vrabel said of Brown’s impending game-day availability.
Vrabel wouldn’t say definitively whether Brown’s injury stemmed from practice on Wednesday, but acknowledged the player had to leave early.
“Just like everything else, when you come out of the game or a long week or practice on Monday, you evaluate the player. He just wasn’t able to practice or finish practice on Wednesday,” Vrabel said.
The second-year Patriots coach also said he doesn’t believe Brown’s knee issue arose from being rushed back, calling them “separate issues.”
Vrabel wouldn’t speak about the severity of Brown’s injury or if he thinks the player will miss significant time again.
TreVeyon Henderson (illness), others also questionable
New England could be thin at running back given TreVeyon Henderson’s questionable status. He missed the last two practices due to an illness, and has been managing a nagging knee injury dating back to the preseason.
Much like his offensive counterpart in Brown, Henderson has had a lackluster season. He has one touchdown to his name, and it came all the way back in his season debut against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 2.
Henderson, a second-year RB, has amassed just 203 yards and eight first downs on the ground. The Patriots have targeted him seven times in the air, which has resulted in five receptions for 45 yards.
Rhamondre Stevenson has improved since the beginning of the season when he had the fumble bug. Corey Kiner’s role diminished against the Bears after his utilization in Weeks 5 and 6, but he’s proven to be a reliable option if Henderson misses his second contest.
Cornerback Carlton Davis (neck) and linebacker Christian Elliss (chest) were also ruled questionable, despite the pair each practicing in full all week. Davis told reporters earlier in the week he expects to play for the first time since Week 4 against the Buffalo Bills.
Many removed from injury report
The news surrounding Brown’s ailing knee was a downer for the Patriots this week. Nevertheless, the team got plenty of good news elsewhere.
Nine total players were removed from the injury report on Friday, including Maye (shoulder). Here’s the full list of players who are full-go this weekend:
OL Ben Brown (knee)
T Marcus Bryant (ankle) – Designated for return from IR
S Kevin Byard (chest)
CB Channing Canada (hamstring)
DT Da’Quan Jones (back)
QB Drake Maye (right shoulder)
T Morgan Moses (foot)
CB Karon Prunty (hamstring)
The biggest note amongst those names (aside from Maye) is the improved health of three offensive linemen. In a season marked by injuries, especially in the trenches, any help New England can get in front of Maye is welcome.
The positive statuses on the OL heading into Week 8 are even more important considering left guard Alijah Vera-Tucker’s placement on IR last week. While he doesn’t expect his injury to be season-ending, he won’t be eligible to return until Week 12 at the earliest.
Until then, New England will hope to keep its O-line in better shape than it has so far.
Vrabel said on Friday he isn’t sure what the starting combination for Sunday will look like yet.
Kaley Brown
Kaley Brown is a sports producer who covers breaking and trending news about the Bruins, Celtics, Patriots, and Red Sox.
Get the latest Boston sports news
Receive updates on your favorite Boston teams, straight from our newsroom to your inbox.
