The Patriots are planning to release longtime center and captain David Andrews on Thursday, a source confirmed to the Herald.
Andrews, 32, continues to rehab from shoulder surgery that followed a season-ending injury he suffered in Week 4. Andrews has spent his entire 10-year career in New England, where he won two Super Bowls and became an eight-time captain. He started every game he appeared in starting in 2016 and was named to the Patriots’ 2010s All-Decade Team.
Andrews has expressed a desire to continue playing, though it’s unclear if he will be able to following his recent surgery. If he retires, the Patriots plan to hold a retirement ceremony for him to honor his decade-long service to the franchise.
Throughout his career, Andrews was revered as one of the best leaders in the locker room. He first became a captain in 2017, his third season after originally signing as an undrafted free agent out of Georgia in 2015. Andrews started his first career game, snapping to Tom Brady, then continued to work with Cam Newton, Mac Jones, Bailey Zappe, Brian Hoyer, Jacoby Brissett and Drake Maye.
Andrews addressed his future the day after the Patriots’ 2024 season ended.
“I did everything I could to try to play and it didn’t go well,” he said. “I had to make a tough decision, knowing the surgery might not go well, and it might lead to more problems. But thankfully that went well.
“Look, I know this is a tough business; the organization might come to me and tell me it’s time to move on. I might get into OTAs or training camp and know I can’t do it. If the organization decides to go in a different way, that’s their choice and I hope that’s not the case. I want to play football.”
Andrews had been the longest-tenured player on the Patriots’ offense. The Pats parted with their longest-tenured defenders on Wednesday, when free-agent cornerback Jonathan Jones and defensive lineman Deatrich Wise both left to sign with Washington.
The Patriots will hold a press conference at 1 p.m. Thursday to address their free-agent additions, as they enter a new era under coach Mike Vrabel.