New England Patriots are wisely managing practice time for Danny Amendola
By Nick Ziegler
The New England Patriots are back at training camp, and one player that is feeling good after a long 2016 season is Danny Amendola.
After winning another Super Bowl in 2016, the New England Patriots have been back to work in training camp. Since the Patriots had a long 2016 season, that has resulted in some of their players being a bit banged up and tired entering training camp.
One of the players that haven’t seen a lot of practice time in camp yet is wide receiver Danny Amendola. In the Super Bowl win against the Atlanta Falcons, Amendola was a huge part of the comeback win.
When the Patriots need Amendola the most, he certainly has a knack for showing up. In the Super Bowl win, Amendola totaled eight receptions, 78 receiving yards, and one receiving touchdown.
After the great game in the Super Bowl, Amendola surely wanting to keep going and has no plans of retiring. However, the team is doing a good job so far in training camp to try and keep him healthy and fresh. Recently, Amendola talked to Phil Perry of CSNNE.com about his desire to play.
"“I want to play football for some more time. I’m not done yet. Wherever that may be, whatever it is, wherever it is, I want to play football at a high level, and this is where it’s going to be. I love it here. I’m going to try to make this team. I’m going to try to fill my role whatever that may be. Try to expand my role whatever that may be. Try to be here for my teammates and try to win games. That’s why I’m here.”"
During the regular season last year, Amendola only played in 12 games for the Patriots. His numbers weren’t anything spectacular in the regular season, as he totaled 23 receptions and four receiving touchdowns.
Even though Amendola was pretty much a non-factor in the regular season, he certainly showed up when the Patriots needed him. It is no secret that Tom Brady has a lot of confidence in Amendola to make plays in high-pressure situations. While Amendola’s stats might not be eye-popping his ability to deliver in the clutch is certainly useful.
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As we get closer to the start of the regular season, the Patriots will likely continue to monitor the practice time of Amendola. At almost 32-years-old, Amendola is getting up there in wide receiver years. After battling some injuries over the course of his career, being careful with practice time is certainly a good idea for Amendola.