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The New England Patriots are getting some good news ahead of a Week 1 NFL matchup with the Cincinnati Bengals. Patriots running back Antonio Gibson is set to play Sunday, per ESPN. He has been dealing with a hip injury.
The Patriots begin a new era on Sunday, as the team no longer has Bill Belichick leading the squad. New England is now in the hands of Jerod Mayo, who is tasked with returning the team to glory. It is certainly good news for Patriots fans that Gibson is planning to play. Mayo is coaching his first game as an NFL coach on Sunday.
Gibson comes to the Patriots from the Washington Commanders, where he rushed for more than 1,000 yards in 2021. He finished the 2023 campaign with just 265 rushing yards on 65 carries. That was a significant drop in production for Gibson, who regularly rushed for close to 150 attempts a season in his career.
How will the Patriots use Antonio Gibson?
Gibson is not expected to start for the team Sunday, per CBS Sports. New England is expected to use Gibson in a supporting role to running back Rhamondre Stevenson. The Patriots may use Gibson some in the passing game as well, as the team looks to win on Sunday.
The running back is also a special teams specialist, working on the kick return team while he was in Washington. The Patriots may use him on that unit if needed. Clearly, Gibson can bring a lot of versatility to a Patriots squad that would love to see a new era get off to a promising start. In 2023, the Patriots had an extremely disappointing 4-13 campaign. After Tom Brady left New England, the franchise has been mired in defeat.
New England faces the Bengals at 1:00 Eastern Sunday. Cincinnati is entering the game with some issues of their own at wide receiver, with Ja'Marr Chase questionable to play.
