When Mike Vrabel was hired to be the Patriots' next head coach, it was clear that a no-nonsense attitude was going to be on its way to Foxboro. It was a much-needed change after what the team experienced in 2024, with chaos and controversy dominating headlines more than anything else. It also meant that plenty of more changes were on the horizon, including unexpected releases that fans were not expecting.
To put his stamp on the team as soon as possible, Vrabel and the new regime decided to cut many longtime Patriots veterans, which caught many off guard, even if the moves weren't exactly bad. Among the most notable names was starting center David Andrews, who missed most of the 2024 season due to an injury.
He was expected to be back for the upcoming season and be a stable part of Drake Maye's offensive line, only to be released with an injury designation that put his NFL career on hold. It was a widely criticized decision, but based on the Patriots' latest announcement about Andrews' retirement, it appears they made the tough decision knowing the end was near.
David Andrews' retirement announcement is not something Patriots fans expected this offseason
Because the offensive line was expected to be a priority of upgrading through free agency and the draft, deciding to move on from their longest tenured starter didn't seem like a good idea, even if he was coming off another season-ending injury. Knowing that Maye needed better protection for his second season made many fans question why Andrews would have been on the chopping block, especially without a center ready to take over in his place.
While discussing the Patriots' decision to release him, Andrews emphasized his desire to continue playing football and stated that he was feeling good after his injury, as he had expected to rejoin the team for the offseason.
However, announcing his retirement on Wednesday seems to imply that may not have been the case after all, and he isn't in the physical condition needed to continue his career elsewhere, like many other tenured Patriots have done over the last few months.
It's an unfortunate development for a fan favorite player, but it's great to see that the Krafts will be honoring him next week with a retirement press conference. Considering how much he meant to the team during his career, it wouldn't be surprising if more were done to honor him as a Patriot, as ownership has done in recent years.