Breaking News: New England Patriots Suffer Major Blow as Team Captain Faces Season-Ending Injury.
FOXBOROUGH – On Wednesday morning, David Andrews approached quarterback Jacoby Brissett, mentioning his plan to attempt playing through a tough shoulder injury.
This didn’t shock Brissett, though he knew it might not be the best option for Andrews.
“I spoke to him, and he said, ‘I think I’m going to try,’” Brissett explained. “I told him, ‘Dave, as much as I’d love for you to, it’s probably not the best idea.’ He’s crucial to the team, both on and off the field.”
Ultimately, Andrews decided to undergo season-ending surgery to address the shoulder injury he sustained in last Sunday’s game against the 49ers. He exited the game after the first series.
After various tests and medical opinions, Andrews faced a choice on Wednesday: either play through the injury and have surgery in the offseason, or get the surgery now and end his 2024 season. The decision came down to his future. Andrews intends to play in 2025, so he opted for surgery now, which means missing the remaining 13 games of this season, according to a source.
This news is a significant loss for the Patriots.
“It’s tough. That one really hurt me,” Brissett admitted. “A big reason I came back was my past relationship with him. When a player like him goes down, especially for something serious, it stings. He’s been here for so long. You wish you had 53 players like David Andrews.”
The Patriots will now rely on veteran Nick Leverett to fill in at center. Leverett stepped up as the backup after Jake Andrews suffered a season-ending lower-body injury earlier in the offseason. The team also has Bryan Hudson as a backup option on the practice squad.
“It’s a tough situation,” said Patriots coach Jerod Mayo. “The first word that comes to mind with Dave is toughness. He’s been a captain, he’s a leader, and he’s great at communicating with the line. Losing him is huge, but it’s the ‘next man up’ mentality. I expect he’ll still be around, and maybe one day he’ll be a coach. We’ll see.”
