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Major Takeaways
Brown missed four games with a right high ankle sprain suffered in Week 1.
He returned to practice on Wednesday and worked on a limited basis all week.
Drake Maye has thrown seven touchdown passes in the last two games, both wins.
New England paid a first round pick to land Brown, and Sunday starts the payoff.
A.J. Brown is expected to make his long awaited return on Sunday.
Reports on Saturday morning said the New England Patriots will likely activate the star wide receiver from injured reserve.
Brown is in line to face the New York Jets at Gillette Stadium.
Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. ET in Foxborough.
The return ends a four game absence that began in the season opener.
For Black football fans in Mississippi and across the country, the comeback carries extra weight.
Brown is a Starkville son who became one of the most feared receivers in the game.
A Debut That Ended in the Third Quarter
Brown arrived in New England as the biggest move of the Patriots offseason.
The club sent a 2028 first round draft pick and a 2027 fifth round pick to Philadelphia to get him.
His debut came on September 9 against the Seattle Seahawks.
It was a rematch of the most recent Super Bowl, and the stage felt huge.
Brown caught three passes for 26 yards in that first outing.
Then came the play that changed the opening month of the season.
He hurt his right ankle early in the third quarter of a 13 to 10 loss.
The injury was later diagnosed as a high ankle sprain.
New England placed him on injured reserve soon after.
The four games he missed tested every corner of the Patriots passing game.
The Long Road Back to the Practice Field
Brown returned to practice for the first time on Wednesday.
That step opened his 21 day window to come off injured reserve.
He was a limited participant in practice throughout the week.
The team listed him as questionable on the Friday injury report.
Brown made clear the final call belonged to head coach Mike Vrabel.
He said the decision had to serve the long haul and not just a temporary return.
Vrabel struck a careful tone when he spoke on Friday.
The coach said Brown showed some good plays and some bad plays in practice.
He added that the staff wanted to check the conditioning level before deciding.
An open spot on the 53 man roster made the Saturday activation a clean move.
Offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels welcomed what Brown brings back to the huddle.
His presence alone changes how a defense has to line up.
Drake Maye Found His Rhythm Without His Top Target
The Patriots stumbled through the opening stretch of the season.
Maye threw six interceptions and just one touchdown pass in the first three games.
New England opened at 1 and 2 in that span.
The last two weeks told a very different story.
Maye threw for 643 yards with seven touchdowns and one interception in back to back wins.
Those wins came against the Buffalo Bills and the Las Vegas Raiders.
He threw three touchdown passes in the upset of Buffalo.
He then posted 374 passing yards and four scores against Las Vegas.
Romeo Doubs leads the club with 219 receiving yards and two touchdown catches.
DeMario Douglas has also reached the end zone twice this season.
Wideout Mack Hollins remains sidelined with a calf injury.
Brown now rejoins a group that also includes Kyle Williams and Efton Chism.
Why A.J. Brown Still Changes Everything
Maye explained the Brown effect with a basketball comparison this week.
He said defenses that double the best player leave a corner three or a dunk open.
He added that a receiver like Brown creates that same kind of stress.
The numbers explain why the Jets must account for him on every snap.
Brown has 527 catches for 8,055 yards and 56 touchdowns in 106 career games.
He is a three time Pro Bowl pick and a three time second team All Pro choice.
He also owns a Super Bowl ring from his run in Philadelphia.
The 29 year old stands 6 foot 1 and weighs 226 pounds.
That size wins at the catch point and after the catch.
Even a limited snap count on Sunday can tilt coverage his way.
From Starkville to the Brightest Lights
Brown was born in Starkville, Mississippi and starred at Starkville High School.
He stayed in his home state and became a record setter at Ole Miss.
He left as the leading receiver in school history with 2,984 yards.
He won the Conerly Trophy in 2017 as the finest college player in Mississippi.
Tennessee drafted him in the second round of the 2019 draft at pick 51.
Three strong seasons with the Titans gave way to a star turn in Philadelphia.
His foundation now backs literacy work, youth mentorship and mental health awareness.
Young Black athletes in Mississippi see a clear map in his journey.
A kid from Starkville can reach the Pro Bowl and still pour back into home.
Sunday adds one more chapter, written in a Patriots uniform this time.
What Sunday Means for the Patriots
New England enters the game at 3 and 2 on the season.
The Jets arrive at 2 and 3 in a tight division race.
A win keeps the Patriots rolling into a short week.
The club travels to face the Chicago Bears on Thursday night.
That quick turnaround explains the care around the long haul comment.
The staff will likely ease Brown back before his usual heavy workload.
Still, his return gives Maye the one target he has missed most.
Jets coach Aaron Glenn must now game plan for a full strength passing attack.
For more football coverage, visit the Sports section at Urban City Podcast.
Catch up on our Jalen Hurts injury report and the Broncos overtime win as well.
