FOXBORO, Mass. — As the New England Patriots took the field for their first padded practice, head coach Jerod Mayo offered an update on a player who might not see contact for a long time.
Mayo began Monday’s media availability by talking about defensive tackle Christian Barmore, who was diagnosed with blood clots over the weekend. Barmore, 25, didn’t practice Monday and is out indefinitely.
What Are the Details of Christian Barmore’s Diagnosis?
Here’s what the Patriots said about Barmore in a statement provided Sunday evening:
“Over the weekend, Christian Barmore was diagnosed with blood clots. He was appropriately treated by the doctors at Mass General Brigham, who tested, evaluated, and treated Christian. Our principal concern at this time is Christian’s health and wellbeing.
“Fortunately, Mass General Brigham provides some of the best healthcare in the world. While there is no current timetable for his return, we know Christian is getting tremendous care and we look forward to his full recovery.”
Barmore’s agent, Nicole Lynn, praised Patriots trainer Jim Whalen in a statement.
“I would be remiss if I did not thank the Patriots trainer, Jim Whalen, for his absolute diligence and care over the last couple of days,” Lynn wrote on X. “Today could have looked a lot different without Jim’s (persistence) and expertise.”
Message from Christian Barmore after being diagnosed with blood clots: pic.twitter.com/K848Mf201D
— Dakota Randall (@DakRandall) July 29, 2024
“Thank you everyone for all the support, thoughts, and prayers. I’ll be back soon,” Barmore posted on Instagram.
It’s unclear when Barmore could return. However, it’s worth noting that Patriots center David Andrews missed the entire 2019 season after being diagnosed with blood clots in his lungs. So, at this stage, a lengthy absence for Barmore can’t be ruled out.
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Barmore, a second-round pick in 2021, is coming off a breakout season. He finished 2023 with 64 tackles, 8.5 sacks, 16 QB hits, and six pass breakups. He signed a four-year, $92 million extension in the offseason.
Jerod Mayo Provided Update on Barmore’s Recovery
Here are the key quotes from Mayo’s news conference.
On Barmore’s diagnosis: “I just want to thank the medical professionals in-house and also Mass General as far as the care for Barmore. Obviously, it’s an unfortunate thing. For me, it’s not even about football. We talk about things like that. It’s about the man. He’s getting tremendous care, and I’m anticipating him coming back.”
Jerod Mayo begins today's media availability with an update on Christian Barmore pic.twitter.com/GbkxLGDsFb
— Dakota Randall (@DakRandall) July 29, 2024
On his conversations with Barmore: “I had a conversation with him. He’s in good spirits, and like I said before, he’s getting tremendous care. His mom’s up here too, so any time mom’s in the house, it’s a good day.”
On the role of trainer Jim Whalen: “Jim Whalen is a huge piece of the puzzle. I would also say he has a tremendous team behind him, they do the day-to-day things as well. Kudos to that whole entire staff.”
On a timetable for Barmore’s return: “No timetable whatsoever. All these situations are different and I’m not a specialist in that world. I don’t want to put a diagnosis or a timetable on that. When he’s ready to go, we’ll be here waiting for him.”
On the impact of Barmore’s absence: “A guy like Barmore, as disruptive as he is, it’s hard to get that same production. Other guys have to step up. We treat it like a normal injury, even though it’s not a normal injury, and next man up. It’s no secret that last year he was one of our best players defensively. I don’t think that just one person can embody all the things that Barmore did for us. But we do have guys that are hungry. We do have guys who can penetrate the offensive line. I’m not too concerned about that.”
Mayo noted that Barmore wasn’t in the hospital as of Monday morning.
Follow Pro Football Network for additional updates on Barmore as they become available.