Seahawks pick off Drake Maye 3 times to beat Patriots 13-10 in Super Bowl rematch

In the NFL season opener, the New England Patriots faced off against the Seattle Seahawks at Gillette Stadium. Seattle's Super Bowl banner was raised, marking their title defense for the 2026 season. However, quarterback Sam Darnold suffered a hip injury in the opening moments of the game, forcing him to leave the field and sit out the remainder of the contest.

Patriots wide receiver A.J. Brown was left to face the challenge of Seattle's defense alone. During a crucial third-down play, quarterback Drake Maye attempted to connect with Brown, but the pass was incomplete. As the drive continued, Brown appeared to struggle to get back to his feet and had to be assisted off the field, raising immediate concern among Patriots fans and analysts.

Brown's injury was later confirmed to be a right high ankle eversion sprain, which is likely to sideline him for the remainder of the game. His status for future games remains uncertain at this time. Brown had been a key player for the Patriots, entering the 2026 season with high expectations after being acquired from the Philadelphia Eagles in an offseason trade. He had helped the Eagles win Super Bowl LIX two seasons prior and had recorded at least 1,000 receiving yards in six of his first seven NFL seasons.

The injury to Brown is significant for the Patriots, as he was brought in to provide a reliable number one target for quarterback Maye. With Darnold out of the game, the Patriots will now have to navigate the rest of the season without one of their top wide receivers.