The Patriots rookie returned to practice on Wednesday.
As Will Campbell fell to the turf in Cincinnati back in Week 12, he immediately knew something was wrong. His initial reaction was simple.
“F—,” Campbell recalled.
The Patriots rookie was ultimately carted to the locker room in the win with what was the first major injury of his football career.
“I mean, just disappointed,” he said. “Whenever you hear a noise, it’s not something that you want to hear. I think every athlete in every sport will tell you that. It’s just difficult to process, but I had a lot of good guys around me on the team, the coaching staff, the training staff, that have gone through this injury before. They helped talk me through everything.”
The news could have been worse for Campbell, however, as he was diagnosed with a MCL sprain. Campbell was then placed on injured reserve and missed the Patriots last four games in an experience that the rookie called “miserable.”
“The first time I ever had to sit out a game for an injury in my entire life,” Campbell said. “It obviously isn’t fun, but it’s a part of this game. Just tried to attack the rehab process and get better.”
On Wednesday, Campbell took a major step towards his return as he practiced on the first day he was eligible to do so. He was listed as a full participant.
Campbell and the team will see how things go throughout the rest of the week before deciding if he will suit up in the Patriots season finale against the Miami Dolphins.
“I’ve been working hard over these past couple of weeks just trying to get back, so to be able to finally get back out there [Wednesday], I’m excited,” Campbell said.
“Today is obviously my first practice against a human that’s wearing a helmet and shoulder pads. We’ll see how it goes… And then after that, we’ll worry about tomorrow, and then Friday and so on and so forth.”
In Campbell’s absence, Vederian Lowe served as the Patriots left tackle over the last month. Lowe allowed just one sack in two quarterback hits while manning the blindside of Drake Maye, who was thankful for his work while being excited to get his close friend back on the field as well.
“It’s awesome to see Big Willy back out there,” Maye said. “I just want to appreciate V-Lowe for what he did. Credit to V-Lowe for stepping in, stepping up and not blinking at all. Trusting his work and preparation.
“Look forward to having Big Willy back out there. Look forward to seeing him doing what he does best.”
Category: General Sports
