The 3-12 New England Patriots host the 9-6 Los Angeles Chargers at Gillette Stadium on Saturday for Week 17 of the regular season. With a victory, New England can sabotage Los Angeles’s chances of making it to the playoffs this weekend. However, if the Chargers win tomorrow, they will clinch a playoff berth.
The New England Patriots starting center suffered a head injury in Week 16
Patriots new starting center Ben Brown, who started the last ten games, suffered an apparent head injury in Week 16 against the Buffalo Bills even though he played every single snap. Brown entered the concussion protocol on Tuesday and did not participate during their short week of practice. During Thursday’s press conference, head coach Jerod Mayo told the media that once a player enters the concussion protocol, they have no control over handling things, and the NFL takes over.
“Once they go into the protocol, it’s really out of our hands,” Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo said during his Thursday press conference via Oliver Thomas of Pats Pulpit. “It’s in the league’s hands. Now, in saying that, we have to have guys ready. You think about Lecitus. You think about Cole. You think about those guys, and they got to be ready to go.”
The Patriots center will not clear the concussion protocol in time
On X, the New England Patriots have downgraded Ben Brown from questionable to out for Week 17 against the Los Angeles Chargers. Week 17 marks the first time in his short tenure with the team that he will miss a game after ten consecutive starts. They will have their fourth player start at center this season.
Ben Brown has been downgraded to out for #LACvsNE. pic.twitter.com/s4Mz9jPSUP
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) December 27, 2024
Who starts in his stead?
The Patriots will either start Cole Strange or Lecitus Smith at center. Strange made his season debut last week against the Bills and saw some playing time on special teams, while Smith has served as Ben Brown’s backup since October.
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