A.J. Brown's Rough Week in New England

Mississippi's most prominent NFL alumni story this week wasn't a highlight reel — it was a two-game indictment of how badly A.J. Brown's Patriots tenure has gone sideways.

In his home debut at Gillette Stadium on Sunday against the Jets, Brown caught just three of 10 targets for 27 yards and dropped a career-high three passes. New England won 26-19, but the performance was impossible to frame as anything other than an alarm bell. Head coach Mike Vrabel said publicly that Brown hadn't shown his "best effort." Brown himself didn't push back. "There are no excuses," the three-time Pro Bowler told reporters. "I'll be better."

He wasn't — at least not by Thursday night. In a Week 7 short-week matchup against the Bears at Soldier Field, Brown caught three passes for 48 yards in a 30-24 New England loss. The Patriots' offense, which signed the Ole Miss product precisely because it was desperate for a proven weapon opposite Drake Maye, has yet to see anything close to the player who terrorized secondaries in Philadelphia and Tennessee. Brown is three games into his Patriots career after missing four games on injured reserve with a high-ankle sprain, and the production simply isn't there.

An injury expert added context, if not comfort: physical therapist and injury analyst Jeff Mueller noted that high-ankle sprains can leave players operating at diminished capacity well into recovery — suggesting Brown may not be fully himself yet. But Brown himself shut down that line of reasoning. "There's no time for acclimating," he said ahead of the Bears game. "We need production now."

The frustration is mutual and mounting. Trade speculation has already begun circulating in some corners of the media, a sign of how quickly the calculus has shifted in New England. Fellow Rebel and Patriots center Ben Brown appeared on the injury report heading into the Bears game, adding another Ole Miss name to New England's growing list of concerns.

Treadwell Earns Community MVP Honor

The week's most uplifting Ole Miss story came out of Indianapolis. Colts wide receiver Laquon Treadwell was named the NFLPA's Community MVP for Week 7 of the 2026 season — recognition handed out by the players' union for off-field impact. On the field, Treadwell caught two passes for 21 yards in a 20-26 loss to the Titans, but the award underscored that his value extends beyond the stat sheet.

Around the League

DK Metcalf, the Ole Miss product now suiting up for Pittsburgh, was one of the more productive Rebels on the field this week, hauling in 11 receptions for 93 yards in the Steelers' 26-19 win over Tampa Bay — a vintage performance that serves as a reminder of what a healthy, settled wideout can do.

Elsewhere, Ravens linebacker Tavius Robinson suffered a season-ending injury confirmed Friday, October 23, a tough blow for the Baltimore defense heading into a high-profile matchup with Cincinnati. Cardinals defensive tackle Walter Nolen III was also listed with an injury designation ahead of Arizona's Week 7 game against the Broncos.

Jaxson Dart's season in New York ended earlier than this week — the Ole Miss quarterback was already lost to a season-ending injury before Week 7 — but his absence continued to reshape the Giants' depth chart, with backup J.J. McCarthy stepping in during the period.

The Ole Miss pipeline to the NFL remains wide and active. The results this week, though, were a study in contrasts: one alum struggling to justify a big investment, another reminding everyone that impact isn't always measured in yards.

Ole Miss WRs Back in Business in Week 6

Mississippi's NFL alumni had a quiet few weeks while its two marquee pass-catchers nursed injuries on the sideline. That changes this weekend.

A.J. Brown's Long-Awaited Return

Four games, four weeks of watching Drake Maye operate without his most dangerous weapon. That ends Sunday.

The New England Patriots are activating wide receiver A.J. Brown from injured reserve ahead of their Week 6 matchup against the New York Jets, per multiple reports. Brown, the splashy offseason addition who arrived as New England's clear WR1, has been sidelined since suffering a high-ankle sprain in the season opener against the Seahawks. He returned to practice this week, and Ian Rapoport reported Saturday that activation was all but certain — the team made it official shortly after.

The only real question now is workload. An injury analyst consulted by Heavy Sports noted that while Brown's return is legitimately encouraging, the Patriots may manage his snap count carefully in his first game back from a high-ankle sprain. That's the nature of the injury — it lingers. But even a limited Brown changes the calculus for opposing defenses and gives Maye a legitimate downfield threat for the first time all season.

DK Metcalf Gets the All-Clear

Meanwhile in Pittsburgh, the Steelers exhaled after a brief injury scare involving their own Ole Miss product. DK Metcalf appeared on the injury report earlier in the week, only to be removed before Sunday's game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers — the team confirmed he would play. The speed with which he was cleared was the relief, not the diagnosis.

Metcalf's Week 5 performance against the Colts left room for optimism: three receptions for 12 yards through the air, plus 11 rushing yards — modest numbers, but evidence of his multidimensional role in Pittsburgh's offense heading into a winnable Week 6 spot.

Around the Rest of the Rebels

Beyond the two headline wideouts, a handful of other Ole Miss alumni made quiet contributions in the week's games.

Evan Engram continued to be productive for the Denver Broncos, catching four passes for 55 yards in Sunday's 23–17 win over the Chargers and adding two receptions for 13 yards in Thursday's game against Seattle. He's been a reliable safety valve in that offense all season. D.J. Jones also chipped in a sack in Denver's win over the Chargers.

On the defensive side, Tavius Robinson and Jared Ivey each recorded a sack in the Ravens-Falcons matchup — on opposite sidelines, but both getting home. Baltimore won 30–23.

Ole Miss wideout Tre' Harris, the Chargers' rookie, logged two catches for 16 yards in the loss to Denver — modest but consistent production for a young player carving out a role in his first NFL season.

The headliners, though, are Brown and Metcalf. Two Ole Miss receivers, two injury clouds lifted, one big NFL weekend. Rebel fans haven't had much to cheer about on that front since September. Week 6 is their moment to reset the narrative.

Three Mississippi alumni commanded NFL attention this week — one facing discipline, one inching back toward the field, and one watching his team thrive without him.

DK Metcalf: Fined and Suspended Heading Into Week 5

The biggest Ole Miss story of the week came with a gavel drop. The NFL announced a fine and suspension for Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver DK Metcalf stemming from his conduct in Pittsburgh's game against the Browns — a punishment that renewed scrutiny of behavior that followed Metcalf throughout his time in Seattle before his offseason trade to the Steelers. The suspension carries into Week 5 against the Indianapolis Colts, sidelining one of Pittsburgh's most dangerous weapons at a critical juncture of the season. The timing stings: a Sports Illustrated bold-prediction piece had already named Metcalf as the potential key to a Steelers win over the Colts, making his absence all the more costly for Pittsburgh's offense.

A.J. Brown: "Sooner Than Later" Carries Real Weight in New England

The Patriots signed A.J. Brown this offseason to remake their receiver room, and he promptly suffered a high-ankle sprain in Week 1. Now, five weeks later, the fog is lifting. Multiple outlets are reporting optimistic timelines, with Tom Pelissero of The Ringer noting that Brown could return "sooner than later" after what's been described as a "positive" rehabilitation process. A sports doctor consulted by Heavy Sports echoed the encouraging outlook. Brown has not played since opening day, and New England — which absorbed a 29-26 loss to the Bills in Week 4 — badly needs him back. Dawson Knox, another Ole Miss product, caught two passes for 13 yards in that Bills game, though he was on the other sideline. Brown's return would give the Patriots' offense a genuine No. 1 threat it has lacked all season.

Jaxson Dart: Watching From the Couch, Still Rippling Through New York

Jaxson Dart's season-ending knee injury — suffered in Week 2 against the Rams — continues to define the Giants' 2025 narrative. New York has responded with a 3-1 record behind Jameis Winston, who silenced early benching rumors after a shaky debut by putting together strong performances in subsequent weeks. But the Dart storyline won't go away: this week, both Dart and defensive end Brian Burns (also on IR) posted social media videos of themselves celebrating the final play after a Giants pick-six sealed a win. Dart's girlfriend also spoke publicly about life during his recovery — a measure of how much the rookie QB has captured the attention of the New York fan base even while sidelined. The Giants sit alone atop the NFC East at 3-1, but the QB question — Winston, Dart's eventual return, and swirling J.J. McCarthy trade rumors — will define their next chapter.

Around the League

Elsewhere, Tre' Harris (Chargers) had his best showing of the young season, hauling in three catches for 60 yards in Los Angeles' Week 4 loss to Seattle. Laquon Treadwell remained quietly productive in Indianapolis, turning in five receptions for 42 yards against Washington in a 30-13 Colts win. Walter Nolen III recorded a sack for Arizona against the Giants before the Cardinals fell 36-24, though his availability for Week 5 is in doubt after roster moves signaled the Cardinals may be managing a new injury. Trey Amos, meanwhile, was designated for return by Washington, potentially adding another Rebel to an active NFL secondary soon.