While so much of the focus has been on rookie quarterback Mac Jones, the New England Patriots have plenty of veterans who were expected to make a big impact this season. Unfortunately, the team got some bad news on Wednesday about one of them.
According to Adam Schefter and Field Yates, running back James White’s season is expected to be over because of a hip injury.
White had left last Sunday’s game against the New Orleans Saints after suffering what had been called a hip subluxation. At the time, the extent of the injury and how long he would be out were unknown. But following further medical examinations, he is now expected to miss the rest of the 2021 season.
The 29-year-old RB out of Wisconsin is in his 7th season in the league, all with the Patriots. While his best season as a rusher was 2018 when he garnered 435 yards on the ground, White has been a valuable asset for the Pats as a receiver. Total, he came into 2021 with 3,184 receiving yards and 25 TD receptions. So far this season, White had 10 carries for 34 yards and 12 receptions for 94 yards.
Tom Brady had high praise for White after he caught 14 passes and scored three touchdowns in Super Bowl LI.
White’s impact might also be felt more in the locker room where he has been considered a respected veteran and mentor. That much was apparent when the entire team came over to see him before he was carted off the field on Sunday.
The Patriots will certainly miss White this weekend when they host Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. And they’ll definitely miss him the rest of the season beyond that, too.
About Sean Keeley
Along with writing for Awful Announcing and The Comeback, Sean is the Managing Editor for Comeback Media. Previously, he created the Syracuse blog Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician and wrote 'How To Grow An Orange: The Right Way to Brainwash Your Child Into Rooting for Syracuse.' He has also written non-Syracuse-related things for SB Nation, Curbed, and other outlets. He currently lives in Seattle where he is complaining about bagels. Send tips/comments/complaints to sean@thecomeback.com.