Patriots Captain Didn't Need Offseason Ankle Surgery

FOXBORO --- Robert Spillane suffered an ankle injury early in the New England Patriots' AFC title win over the Denver Broncos back in January. He tried to tough it out, but wasn't able to go for the rest of the game.

It was something that could have hampered the linebacker in Super Bowl LX two weeks later, and while he did end up on the injury report leading into the game, he suited up against the Seattle Seahawks. He had four tackles in the loss, and it was a question mark this offseason about how that ankle would hold up for 2026.

According to Spillane, he avoided surgery on the ankle.

Robert Spillane didn't need surgery this offseason.
— Ethan Hurwitz (@HurwitzSports) April 28, 2026

"No surgery," he told reporters after voluntary offseason workouts at the team's brand-new New Balance Athletics Center. "(I) take care of myself. The guys upstairs in the in the weight room also take care of me. So we've had a great plan and just continue to progress."

Spillane Dealt With Injuries Throughout Last Season

It wasn't the first injury he had last season. He missed the team's Sunday Night Football win over the Baltimore Ravens with an ankle injury in Week 16. That came just one week after he was active, but didn't play, in the team's Week 15 home loss to the Buffalo Bills. He was asked, just how frustrating it was going through in-season recovery and trying to return to the field.

"That's part of the game we play," Spillane said with a smile. "We sign up to get injured, to bang into each other, to put our bodies on the line. That's just part of the business we play. And just so proud of guys stepping up behind me. Obviously, you want to do everything you can to get back out on the field.

Nov 9, 2025; Tampa, Florida, USA; New England Patriots linebacker Robert Spillane (14) walks upfield during the fourth quarter against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images | Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images

"You hate missing snaps," he continued. "You hate feeling like you're letting your team down every time you're not on the field. But I'm just really proud of the guys that stepped up and made big plays when it came to (me) getting healthy."

The Super Bowl didn't go the way Spillane and the Patriots wanted, but now the team knows what it is like to get to that point in the season. As the Patriots work towards getting to that place in 2026, Spillane -- a captain for New England -- wants to use it as fuel for a comeback.

"It feels like that wasn't supposed to be a part of our journey, but obviously it is all you could do from from that is learn from it, grow as a person, as a player," Spillane said. "That's our focus."

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