New England Patriots running back James White is reportedly done for the year.
According to Adam Schefter and Field Yates, the hip injury White suffered against the Saints is severe enough that he’s not expected to play another snap this season. (RELATED: David Hookstead Is The True King In The North When It Comes To College Football)
After further medical examinations this week, Patriots’ RB James White’s hip injury is expected to end his 2021 season, per @FieldYates and me.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 29, 2021
A significant void for the Patriots to fill, as James White is not only one of the NFL’s best pass catching backs, he’s one of their most dependable and respect players. https://t.co/tMzldwsuJD
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) September 29, 2021
This is a pretty big blow for the Patriots. Not only was James White the Super Bowl hero against the Falcons, but he’s an incredibly talented catcher.
In fact, there’s a very strong case to be made that he’s one of the most versatile running backs in the league because of his skillset.
James White has been carted off and ruled out with a hip injury against the Saints. pic.twitter.com/UlLfXgKRK9
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) September 26, 2021
Sure, he’s not going to pound the rock like a traditional back, but defenses have to respect him because he’s a receiving threat on every play.
Just ask the Falcons what happens when you ignore James White’s presence on the field.
Now, his season has come to an end after just a few weeks. You hate to see anyone get hurt, but you really never want to see genuinely good people get hurt.
During my time at Wisconsin, I ran across White a couple times, and I can say without hesitation he’s an authentically nice guy.
Let’s hope he’s able to bounce back in a big way and return to being a solid player in 2022.