Long-time Patriots running back James White Annocued his retirement Thursday, August 11th. White, who re-signed with the Patriots on a two-year deal in the offseason, is on the team’s PUP list (Physically unable to perform). He suffered an injury last September that ended his season and required surgery. James opened his statement by saying, “it has been an honor to represent my family, my teammates, and the people of New England as a Patriot!” He continued and thanked Mr. Kraft, Coach Belichick, and the Patriots organization. He was proud he got to play his entire career for one team “in front of the best fans in the NFL; it was a tremendous blessing and honor.”
White won three super bowls with the Patriots, playing for them for eight years. White originally joined the team as a fourth-round draft pick (130th overall) in the 2014 NFL Draft out of Wisconsin. James played in 95 regular season games and had 1278 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns, but his receiving game was even more impressive, in which he had 3278 yards and 25 touchdowns. He also played in 12 postseason games and had 146 rushing yards and five touchdowns; he also had 59 receptions for 506 yards and three touchdowns.
Robert Kraft and Bill Bellichek released statements after it was announced he was retiring. “James defines the term consummate professional…His dependability, consistency, unselfishness, and performance under pressure are elite. James was a perfect fit for our pass offense by combining great intelligence, quickness, and elusiveness. While soft-spoken, he brought exceptional leadership and competitive toughness to the team. He was a multi-year team captain and one of the most respected, best team players I have ever coached.” Bellichek said in his statement. Kraft said, “James White has always been one of the most reliable and dependable players on the field. He’s a soft-spoken leader who has led by example and was the best at what he did…As great as a player James has been, he’s been an even better person.”
White has been considered one of the best third-down/reliable backs in NFL history and a critical part of the Patriots dynasty. James had 319 attempts with 0 fumbles. White is best known for his performance in Superbowl LI. In that game, he had 14 catches and accounted for 20 out of 36 points for New England in a historic comeback. The only overtime touchdown belongs to James White as he capped off a historic night with a game-winning touchdown.
With White retiring before the 2022 season, the Patriots backfield is still strong. Damien Harris and Rhamondre Stevenson lead the way. Ty Montgomery is the leading candidate to see more pass-catching snaps with White’s retirement.
4-time captain for the Patriots, James White, now looks to get that red jacket from the Patriot’s hall of fame and is eligible in a couple of years.
Patriots.com. (2022, August 11). Highlights from James White’s Patriots Career
My name is Ben Belford-Peltzman and I am the creator and writer of The Patriots Beat. I am a 17-year kid who is an optimistic pessimist about the City of Champions. I started The Patriots Beat in August of 2022 and never expected to grow so much but here we are. Feel free to email Thepatriotsbeat@gmail.com with any inquires.
