September 09, 2026
Steven Bisig/IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
A.J. Brown's Patriots debut was cut short due to an ankle injury.
The reigning Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks were dealt a potentially massive blow on the fifth snap of the first game of their title defense when QB1 Sam Darnold injured his hip while being sacked.
Darnold left the game, got X-rays, and did not return. QB2 Drew Lock replaced Darnold, and helped lead the Seahawks to a victory over the New England Patriots.
The Patriots also suffered an alarming injury, when former Eagle A.J. Brown had a defender land on his ankle while trying to catch a pass.
Brown was in obvious pain limping off the field. He too got X-rays, and did not return to the game.
Both injuries have some meaning to the Eagles.
The Seahawks are Super Bowl contenders in the NFC, obviously. They are the defending champs, and a team that is widely considered to be superior to the Eagles. If Darnold's hip is fractured, that could be a season-ending injury, and their chances of contending would take a major hit.
The Eagles also play the Seahawks Week 15. That game is theoretically easier if Lock or some other quarterback is starting instead of Darnold.
And then there's the matter of the Eagles currently rostering four quarterbacks. Could either Andy Dalton or Tanner McKee interest the Seahawks? My guess? Probably not. Lock is backup they seem to like, and they selected QB3 Jalen Milroe in the third round of the 2025 draft. Maybe Dalton makes sense as a QB3? But even then, meh.
It wouldn't matter really from a competitive perspective this season. But certainly, there was always going to be curiosity from Eagles fans about how Brown's tenure would play out in New England. In his first game with the Patriots, Brown had 3 catches on 4 targets for 26 yards. He did also draw a long pass interference penalty that led to a Patriots touchdown.
Getting a closer look at Brown in a different uniform will be put on hold if he is out for any significant stretch of time.
We'll update when we learn more about each injury.
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