Patriots’ Robert Kraft Releases Statement After David Andrews Release

The New England Patriots officially released David Andrews on Thursday.

Andrews, 32, hasn’t revealed whether he’ll continue his NFL career, though the expectation is that he would like to give it another go. Patriots owner Robert Kraft released a statement along with the news of his longtime captain’s release and wished him the best in his future endeavors.

“David Andrews’ career success is a shining example of what every NFL prospect should strive to achieve,” Kraft said. “As a rookie free agent, David earned a starting assignment at center in his NFL debut, a position he anchored for the next decade. His leadership, work ethic, and dedication to the team earned him the respect and admiration of his coaches and teammates, who elected him as an eight-time team captain. The importance of his leadership during his career cannot be overstated. David is a true professional, and his impact on this organization will be felt for many years to come. On behalf of the entire Kraft family and the New England Patriots, I want to express my deepest gratitude for his countless contributions, and we look forward to celebrating his remarkable career.”

Andrews is expected to receive a ceremony when he does hang it up, similar to what New England held for Devin McCourty and James White over the last few seasons. Kraft’s statement sure made it sound like retirement was on the table.

The Patriots are now tasked with finding his replacement along the offensive line, with few in-house options (Cole Strange, Ben Brown, Jake Andrews) sparking excitement.