Mike Onwenu went down with an injury in the first quarter and remained on the field for several moments as medical staff attended to him.

Updated on: Sep 20, 2026, 23:59:06 IST

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The Patriots were off to a strong start against the Steelers on Sunday, but their second scoring possession came with a costly setback.

What happened to Mike Onwenu?

New England was already without offensive starter A.J. Brown and then lost right guard Mike Onwenu during the first quarter after he suffered an ankle injury.

The injury occurred in Pittsburgh’s red zone as quarterback Drake Maye tried to escape the Steelers’ pass rush. During the play, T.J. Watt dove toward Maye and inadvertently took out Onwenu’s legs.

Onwenu immediately went to the ground and remained down for several moments as medical staff attended to him. A cart was eventually brought onto the field, and the offensive lineman was helped onto it.

The 28-year-old was unable to put weight on his right leg as he left the field, and the Patriots quickly ruled him out for the remainder of Sunday’s Week 2 matchup because of the ankle injury.

“@Patriots Injury Update: OL Mike Onwenu will not return to today's game due to an ankle injury,” the team announced via X.

Greg Van Roten stepped in for Onwenu, taking over at right guard for the remainder of the game.

Could Onwenu’s injury end season?

While Onwenu’s return on Sunday was already ruled out, the bigger concern for Patriots coach Mike Vrabel will be the severity of the injury and whether it could keep the veteran lineman sidelined for an extended period.

The replay appeared to show Onwenu’s right ankle taking significant force when T.J. Watt’s lower body came down on it, resulting in what looked like a severe twist.

The incident immediately raised concern among Patriots insiders. Carlos A. Lopes questioned the severity of the injury and tweeted, "Did Mike Onwenu just break his ankle???"

David J. Chao, an orthopedic surgeon and former NFL head team doctor for more than a decade, also weighed in after reviewing the incident.

“Right leg fracture… Done for day/season with surgery ,” he tweeted.

If Chao’s assessment proves accurate, it would be a major concern for New England, which could potentially be without Onwenu for a significant portion of the season.

Major blow for Patriots

The Patriots #71 has established himself as one of the team’s most reliable offensive linemen in recent seasons. He started all 38 games at right guard over the past two years and led the team in offensive snaps during that span.

Losing him for an extended period could also create another hurdle for Mike Vrabel as the Patriots pursue their playoff ambitions.

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