FOXBORO, Mass. — A.J. Brown has returned to practice and been designated to return off injured reserve, but there’s no guarantee he’ll play this weekend against the Jets. When asked if he planned to play Sunday, Brown said it’s definitely “still up in the air.” “Obviously, it’s going to be Coach (Mike) Vrabel’s decision to see where I’m at and make the better decision for the long haul, not ...

New England Patriots wide receiver A.J. Brown during training camp at Gillette Stadium on July 31, 2026.

Matt Stone/Boston Herald/TNS

FOXBORO, Mass. — A.J. Brown has returned to practice and been designated to return off injured reserve, but there’s no guarantee he’ll play this weekend against the Jets.

When asked if he planned to play Sunday, Brown said it’s definitely “still up in the air.”

“Obviously, it’s going to be Coach (Mike) Vrabel’s decision to see where I’m at and make the better decision for the long haul, not just temporarily,” Brown said Thursday. “But I’m just trying to stack it each and every day. Right now, my focus is going out here today, just trying to get better, and then just see how I feel afterward. You know, because today we’re in pads, and that’s a lot more moving. You know, yesterday we’re not, and guys aren’t really trying to touch you.”

Brown said he felt “pretty good” in his return to practice Wednesday.

Brown injured his ankle just over five weeks ago in the Patriots’ Week 1 loss to the Seahawks. He’s missed four games on injured reserve.

“It’s like one step at a time with me,” Brown said. “Each and every day, just trying to increase my load and just see how I respond each and every day. But it felt good just to be back on the grass practicing. Working on the side is really boring. So, it was just good to be back.”

Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels spoke about a contingency plan in case Brown doesn’t play on Sunday.

The Patriots try to cross-train their receivers at all roles within the offense. Wide receivers Romeo Doubs, Efton Chism, DeMario Douglas and Kyle Williams are all currently healthy. Mack Hollins (calf) must miss three more games on injured reserve before a potential return. McDaniels also said tight ends Hunter Henry and Eli Raridon factor into the occasion, as well.

“Would we know how we’re going to go ahead and play the game or use those packages if he doesn’t make it? Yes, we have already talked about that, and the guys are studying both ends of the spectrum,” McDaniels said. “And I’d say that’s a credit to the guys because you talk about Chiz, Kyle, Romeo, Pop, Eli, Hunter. They all know multiple positions, and that’s a great strength of our group in that we have some versatility.”

Brown hasn’t spoken to reporters since he suffered the high ankle sprain in Seattle.

He said the first thing that went through his mind was that he might not make it to his wife’s graduation from nursing school at Chamberlain University in North Brunswick, N.J., because he’d have to rehab the injury.

Fortunately, Vrabel made an exception for him.

“When I was on the field, and I was just like, ‘Dang, I gotta stay this weekend for treatment.’ And that’s the only thing I was thinking about,” Brown said. “I wasn’t even thinking about the game at the moment. When I got back, he told me, “ ‘Yeah, obviously, go be with your wife and support her.’ So I appreciate Vrabes for that.”

Brown’s family also helped inspire him to rehab the injury.

“Besides the training staff, who did a really good job, I would say what motivated me to get back was to chasing my son again,” Brown said. “Because as soon as I got home, he wanted me to run around and play, and I’m like, ‘Dada can’t chase you right now,’ and that kind of motivated me, and then it got to the point where I started to do a little more, and we started playing tag, and that’s when I knew I was kind of getting back into it because I (was) making him miss.”

Brown joked that playing tag with his son was part of his rehab process, unbeknownst to the Patriots.