MRI confirms Patriots' AJ Brown suffered high-ankle sprain, out at least four weeks

The Patriots' worst fears on AJ Brown's ankle were confirmed by imaging. An MRI confirmed that Brown suffered a high ankle sprain in the season-opening loss to the Seattle Seahawks, one expected to sideline him at least four weeks, per Mike Reiss.

The confirmation locks in the diagnosis initially reported as believed, with X-rays already coming back negative for a fracture. Multiple reporters have previously reported the four - six expectation

Reiss, who covers the Patriots beat, first reported the believed right high-ankle sprain diagnosis with the ESPN story.

Brown was hurt in the third quarter of the opener and left in a walking boot after the team ruled him out for the rest of the night. Losing the No. 1 receiver for a month forces New England to redistribute targets through the early slate while Brown rehabs. The four-week minimum means the earliest realistic return window sits in mid-October, with the club likely to be cautious given how high-ankle sprains linger when rushed.