The Pittsburgh Steelers haven't even suited up for their first game of the 2026 season yet, but they may have already caught a massive break for Week 2. As Mike McCarthy's team prepares for their home opener against the Atlanta Falcons, the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks already have their Week 1 contest in the books... and the Pats are already facing serious turmoil.
Early in the third quarter, Patriots wide receiver A.J. Brown went down in pain after making an attempt to catch the football. Brown clutched his right ankle before hobbling off, and he was quickly ruled out for the game. Now the star receiver could miss some time.
Ian Rapoport reported Thursday morning that Brown is believed to have a high-ankle sprain. This is an injury that often can take six weeks (and sometimes longer) to heal. The X-Rays were negative, which is an encouraging sign for Patriots fans, but Brown will miss time, including the team's Week 2 game against the Steelers.
Brown's absence complicated matters as third-year quarterback Drake Maye had the worst game of his career. His three-interception performance cost New England a shot to send the game into overtime.
The Steelers will travel to Foxborough in Week 2 for a matchup against the Patriots, and now that Brown can't go, their matchup against the defending AFC champions just got a bit easier.
The Pittsburgh Steelers catch a massive break for Week 2 with unfortunate A.J. Brown injury
We haven't seen A.J. Brown in a Patriots uniform long enough to know how he's going to look on his new team, but expectations are high. New England spent a first-round pick to acquire Brown from the Eagles, and the three-time Pro Bowler has four straight seasons with 1,000-1,500 yards.
But the Patriots' misfortune has the Steelers breathing a sigh of relief.
Outside of Brown, the Patriots don't have another stable option to turn to in the passing game. In their 13-10 Week 1 loss against the Seahawks, it was veteran Mack Hollins who led the team with just 51 receiving yards. The next wide receiver was Brown with 26 yards before his early exit.
Brown's absence next week could also ease pressure on the Steelers' defense if Pittsburgh can't get cornerback Joey Porter Jr. locked up to a long-term extension before the start of the season and he decides to hold out. The combination of Mack Hollins, Romeo Doubs, DeMario Douglas, and Kyle Williams looks much less threatening when Brown's name isn't attached to this group.
Last September, the Steelers were able to emerge victorious against the Patriots in a 21-14 outing, but it took five takeaways (including four fumbles lost) to get the job done, while Pittsburgh only turned the ball over once. We can't expect Pittsburgh to repeat in this department.
The Pittsburgh Steelers are hardly guaranteed a victory on the road in Week 2 against New England, but A.J. Brown's absence may have just given Mike McCarthy's team a break they didn't earn.
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