The New England Patriots have plenty of questions to answer before the season opener; however, one of them is hiding in plain sight. Who actually wants the kickoff return job?
Special teams coordinator Jeremy Springer is not ready to give anyone the ***** le. The Patriots have several players capable of handling returns, and Springer made it clear that the final decision could come down to something as simple as who is active on game day.
Aug 13, 2026; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel watches from the sideline during the second half against the Indianapolis Colts at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images
Springer was asked about the Patriots' kickoff returner and refused to put a name on it. Instead, he pointed to the number of options on the roster and said the decision will depend partly on the active list each week. That keeps one of the team's special-teams jobs unsettled heading into the regular season.
That answer is pretty telling. The Patriots are not necessarily looking for one player to handle every kickoff. With roster spots changing from week to week, the Patriots can afford to keep the competition open and choose from multiple return-capable players depending on the matchup and overall game-day personnel.
#Patriots #springer
Special teams coordinator Jeremy Springer is not ready to give anyone the ***** le. The Patriots have several players capable of handling returns, and Springer made it clear that the final decision could come down to something as simple as who is active on game day.
Aug 13, 2026; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel watches from the sideline during the second half against the Indianapolis Colts at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images
Springer was asked about the Patriots' kickoff returner and refused to put a name on it. Instead, he pointed to the number of options on the roster and said the decision will depend partly on the active list each week. That keeps one of the team's special-teams jobs unsettled heading into the regular season.
That answer is pretty telling. The Patriots are not necessarily looking for one player to handle every kickoff. With roster spots changing from week to week, the Patriots can afford to keep the competition open and choose from multiple return-capable players depending on the matchup and overall game-day personnel.
#Patriots #springer
5 days ago
