The New England Patriots' offseason was headlined by the signing of Milton Williams, the drafting of Will Campbell, and tales of Drake Maye's rapid development, but their more under-the-radar signings have been just as impressive.
One of those additions has been Khyiris Tonga, a nose tackle signed from the Cardinals.
Tonga has been a force in the run game, playing 277 snaps through his first twelve games and anchoring one of the best run defenses in football. Over the last few weeks, he's also been used as a fullback with the Jack Westover experiment not paying dividends as it did earlier in the year.
While he's played just nine snaps on offense, he's excelled in his role.
In his nine run blocking snaps through the last two weeks, Khyiris Tonga has an 87.2 run blocking grade, 14th in the league without snap count parameters. With Austin Hooper unlikely to play, expect some more fullback action for the NT.
— Graham Wilker (@GrahamWilker1) November 12, 2025
Without Milton Williams, the Patriots' run defense has struggled a bit. Their last game against the Bengals was their first without their highly paid star, and it also marked the first time a rusher cracked 100 yards in a game, as Chase Brown's 19 carries went for 107 yards.
Khyiris Tonga's injury could effect the Patriots in a major way
Already without Williams, the last thing the Patriots' defensive line needs is to lose more bodies on the interior. Tonga is the team's best run stopper with Williams gone, and Christian Barmore struggles against the run.
If Tonga were to miss time, the team would be relying on Cory Durden, rookie Joshua Farmer, and Eric Gregory to fill the void. While each player has shown flashes, to make up for the loss of both Williams and Tonga would be a tough ask.
Pretty notable on/off split for the #Patriots run defense with NT Khyiris Tonga.
— Evan Lazar (@ezlazar) November 28, 2025
Tonga on the field: -0.10 EPA per rush
Tonga off the field: +0.02 EPA per rush
Add in his short-yardage role on offense, and Tonga is an important player for New England.
Aside from the run-stopping element, Tonga has played well as a fullback, as previously mentioned. The Patriots had two opportunities from inside the five to punch the ball in for touchdowns against a Cincinnati defense that allows the most points and second-most rush yards, and ended up with just three points.
While last week was sloppy, putting the ball in the end zone two more times could have been made easier through Tonga, and would have made the score 37-20, a more impressive final on paper.
For a team that has struggled to run the ball with any consistency, Tonga has been a breath of fresh air in short-yardage situations. His fullback days began against Atlanta, when he led the way for a Terrell Jennings first down on third and short. He also picked up a key block that allowed TreVeyon Henderson to escape for his second long touchdown of the game against the Buccaneers, a 55-yard run that sealed the win.
The Patriots have a bye week during Week 14, so Tonga will have the opportunity to fully recover from the chest injury he's been dealing with. That bye will be huge for New England, and Tonga's being a force in the run game on both sides of the ball has been key to their success, and it would have helped the Patriots have a less intense finish to their matchup against the Bengals.
Ensuring Tonga's long-term health should be a priority, as next to Travis Hunter, he might be the most effective two-way player in football.