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Patriots wide receiver Kendrick Bourne received unfortunate news on Monday. NFL Insider Mike Garafolo reported that the 28-year-old has torn his ACL.
This ends what was shaping up to be a stellar season for the veteran receiver.
Bourne’s injury happened during the team’s Week 8 clash with the Dolphins. He caught a touchdown earlier in the game but in the fourth quarter, he went down clutching his right knee after making a catch and left the field.
DUGGER'S INT TURNS INTO SIX FROM KENDRICK BOURNE! pic.twitter.com/owsMfSpLmI
— Ben Brown 🌻 (@BenBrownPL) October 29, 2023
Before the injury, Bourne was playing for the Patriots this season. He hauled in 37 passes, racked up 406 yards, and scored four touchdowns in just eight games.
The receiver was in the final year of a three-year, $15 million contract, so it’s a bit of a bummer for both him and the team. But there’s hope on the horizon – Bourne might have a chance to return in 2024.
With Kendrick out for the season, rookie Demario Douglas will probably need to step up and take on a bigger role.
Bourne entered the NFL undrafted back in 2017, and signed with the 49ers, where he spent four years before landing the free-agent deal with the Patriots in 2021.
Over his career, Bourne caught 264 passes, totaling 3,409 yards, and scoring 21 touchdowns. Hopefully he can bounce back strong from the ACL injury.