New England Patriots - NESN.com
FOXBOROUGH — Christian Barmore is ready to put the 2024 season in the past and focus on the present.
Barmore was diagnosed with life-threatening blood clots last summer, sidelining him and putting his NFL future in jeopardy. He returned in November for four games but was sidelined once again with recurring symptoms, ending his season early.
Through all of this, the star defensive tackle refused to give up, persevering and working to return, and he has been given the all clear to practice.
“Really just a lot of fire in my heart. After that situation, people forget who I am,” Barmore told reporters on Monday. “I’m bringing a lot of (competitiveness) with me. Every day, when I’m on this field.”
“Just to prove that I’m still me and I’m always going to be me,” he added. “It’s just a goal for me. That stuff I went through was not, I would never want anybody to go through that.”
So, does he have any limitations?
“I’m good to go,” Barmore stated. “Green light.”
And with this, he’s able to focus on what playing football is all about.
“I feel really confident in myself because, one, I’m breathing, I’m talking, I’m just having fun,” Barmore said. “Just having a good time with my teammates and playing hard.”
Plus, head coach Mike Vrabel is excited about what he’s seeing from Barmore.
“What I’ve seen is a player that is excited and that is coachable. Extremely coachable,” Vrabel explained. “He has some versatility. He’s rushed inside. He’s lined up outside. He’s worked extremely hard. You’ve seen him chase and play with great effort down the field. I’m excited to see where he’s at, but I’ve seen a lot of just improvement and a lot of engagement from him since the time that we’ve been here.”
