Pats rule out WR Brown, RB Henderson vs. Dolphins

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  Mike ReissOct 31, 2026, 01:19 PM ET

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  Mike Reiss is an NFL reporter at ESPN and covers the New England Patriots. Reiss has covered the Patriots since 1997 and joined ESPN in 2009. In 2019, he was named Massachusetts Sportswriter of the Year by the National Sports Media Association.

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- New England Patriots wide receiver A.J. Brown has been ruled out for Sunday's road game against the Miami Dolphins, the team announced Saturday.

Brown had a knee issue flare up this week, sources told NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.

In addition, No. 2 running back TreVeyon Henderson has been ruled out due to an illness, according to the team. Henderson missed practice on Thursday and Friday.

The Patriots have one open spot on their 53-man roster, and also could elevate up to two players from the practice squad by Saturday's 4 p.m. ET deadline. Fourth-year receiver Ryan Miller and first-year running back Lan Larison, both on the practice squad, are among the top candidates to be added to the game-day roster.

As for Brown, he was a limited participant in Wednesday's practice, and later that day, his designation on the injury report had changed. It noted the knee issue, in addition to the right high ankle sprain sustained in the season opener that had landed him on injured reserve.

"Just wasn't able to finish practice on Wednesday, so we continue to treat him ...," coach Mike Vrabel said on Friday.

Prior to that practice, Brown acknowledged he was still managing the ankle injury and didn't have his trademark explosiveness on an every-play basis. But Brown made it clear he wasn't making excuses, adding, "None of that stuff matters. I'm out here, so I'm going."

The Patriots had Brown going as if he had never been sidelined due to the ankle injury sustained in the season opener. In his first action since being designated to return from IR on Oct. 14, Brown played 102 out of a possible 122 snaps in a win over the New York Jets on Oct. 18 and a loss to the Chicago Bears on Oct. 22.

He admitted the stretch of two games in five days was "a lot for anyone" and appreciated "the couple [extra] days [off] on the back end." He had expressed hope Wednesday he would have a full week of practice and "try to put my best foot forward on Sunday [in Miami]."

Then came the knee flare-up, which leaves the Patriots thin at receiver with DeMario "Pop" Douglas, Kyle Williams and Efton Chism III the only healthy receivers on the 53-man roster.

Vrabel said the team's approach with Brown in the two games, and the injury that led him to miss Sunday's game, are "separate issues here."

Asked about the heavy workload for Brown, and if he would have benefited from fewer snaps, Vrabel said: "We want our best players to play and we consider him one of those."

Meanwhile, with Henderson out, the Patriots currently have just Rhamondre Stevenson and Corey Kiner as running backs on the 53-man roster.