New England Patriots wide receiver A.J. Brown says his status for Sunday's game against the New York Jets is "still up in the air" after returning to practice this week for the first time since suffering a right high-ankle sprain in the season opener.
"I felt pretty good," Brown said, while noting he is taking a "one step at a time" approach. That included seeing how the ankle responded Thursday in a practice with full shoulder pads that promised to be more physical. "Obviously it's going to be a Coach Vrabel decision, to see where I'm at and make the better decision for the long haul, not just for temporarily," he said.
The Patriots (3-2) have a quick turnaround after Sunday's game against the Jets (2-3), traveling to face the Chicago Bears on Thursday, Oct. 22. Brown was a limited participant in practice Wednesday, and he said his goal is to add to his workload on a daily basis. "It felt good just to be back on the grass practicing. Working on the side is a little boring," he said.
Brown also shared how he reacted to the injury, which occurred in the third quarter of New England's season-opening loss to the Seahawks in Seattle. As he lay on the field, he said he was thinking about missing his wife Kelsey's nursing school graduation that weekend in New Jersey. He appreciated coach Mike Vrabel excusing him from mandatory rehabilitation to attend. His 4-year-old son, Deuce, also motivated his recovery. "What motivated me to get back was chasing my son again," Brown said.
Source: ESPN NFL · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing