New England Patriots running back Sony Michel underwent foot surgery in May, according to ESPN’s Mike Reiss. According to the report, the surgery was mostly precautionary and helped relieve pain in the foot. The exact details and severity of the injury are currently unknown to the public.
Sony Michel Undergoes Foot Surgery
As previously mentioned, this injury is not considered to be a major one, and Michel is already back in Foxboro getting ready for the upcoming season. However, Reiss adds that it is possible that Michel starts the season on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list. The team hasn’t made a decision one way or the other, and Michel’s roster status will depend on how he recovers from the surgery in the coming weeks.
Michel originally joined the Patriots as a first-round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. Selected with the 31st overall pick, Michel appeared in 13 games as a rookie, making eight starts. During his time on the field, Michel recorded 931 rushing yards and six touchdowns on 209 carries. He added an additional six touchdowns during New England’s three-game Super Bowl run in the 2018 postseason.
Michel followed this up with a somewhat disappointing second season. Appearing in all 16 games, Michel recorded 912 yards and seven touchdowns on 247 carries. He struggled to make an impact in the passing game and typically failed to pick up more than the blocking provided. He ended his season on something of a high note, averaged more than four yards-per-carry in six of the final seven games of the season.
Should Sony Michel miss time with this injury, Rex Burkhead is the most likely candidate to receive early-down touches. Burkhead has struggled with injury over the past three seasons but is capable of making plays as both a runner and a receiver. Alternatively, 2019 third-round pick Damien Harris could see some carries. Harris hardly played as a rookie but has the raw tools to develop into a solid starter.
