Patriots DT Christian Barmore to Reportedly Undergo MRI on Monday for Right Leg Injury
The New England Patriots finished the 2021 regular season with a 10-7 record following a 33-24 defeat at the hands of the Miami Dolphins in Week Eighteen.
While Sunday’s outcome was less than desirable for many reasons, New England may take some solace in knowing that they are still headed for the playoffs after a one-year absence.
However, they may be heading there without the services of one of their most productive defensive linemen.
Rookie defensive tackle Christian Barmore left Sunday’s game after suffering an injury to his right leg while in pursuit of Dolphins’ quarterback Tua Tagovailoa on a third down late in the fourth quarter. Unfortunately, he collided with cornerback Joejuan Williams prior to making contact with Tagovailoa. Barmore remained down on the field, seemingly in significant pain. He was helped to the Patriots’ sideline and eventually carted to the locker room.
While an official diagnosis is unlikely to be available until Monday, at the earliest, a post-game report indicated that the Pats may be without Barmore’s services for the postseason.
“I would say based on what we saw with Christian Barmore, I wouldn’t expect him in the playoffs, and this is the type of thing that looks like it’ll impact his offseason,” said ESPN’s Mike Reiss in a post-game report for WBZ. “He [Barmore] was very emotional,” Reiss told ‘Patriots Fifth Quarter’ host Steve Burton, following Sunday’s loss. He went on to say that Barmore was seen with his head down and seemed to be noticeably emotional following his visit to the team’s X-ray room.
Selected in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft, the 22-year-old has become one of the Patriots most valuable defenders. Barmore entered Sunday’s matchup having amassed nine quarterback hits, 45 total pressures, 1 1/2 sacks, three tackles for loss and two pass breakups Barmore’s ability to push the pocket and take a stand against the run has earned him many well-deserved accolades. Barmore plays with good leverage and is strong enough to take on double-teams. He locates the ball quickly, chases with good effort and has excellent range for his size. The Alabama product has also demonstrated quick hands, which has made him effective in both stuffing the run and challenging the passer. Should he, indeed, be forced to miss time during the postseason, New England will face great difficulty in attempting to replicate his production and versatility.
Still, there is a chance that Barmore’s injury may not be as devastating as originally thought. NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport, later reported initial tests on Barmore’s knee were “promising, indicating no major injury.” Rapoport also reported that Barmore is scheduled to undergo an MRI on Monday.
Head coach Bill Belichick did not have an update on Barmore’s status during his postgame news conference. However, Patriots quarterback Mac Jones, Barmore’s college teammate at Alabama, offered the following when asked about Barmore following Sunday’s loss.
“I saw him,” Jones told reporters. “I don’t know exactly what happened, but I just told him that I love him and I have his back no matter what. He’s a great player, and he’s been a great teammate to me at Alabama and obviously here, too. He’s really positive, and I hope he’s OK.”
