Patriots News: Bill Belichick, Demario Douglas, Matt Patricia and Bailey Zappe

Patriots wanted to keep Demario Douglas sidelined after suffering second concussion

One of the more fun aspects of the Patriots' dreadful season has been the rise of rookie wide receiver Demario Douglas. He ignited excitement about his potential early in the offseason, as his performances at training camp proved he could be a weapon in an offense that desperately needed that type of player.

He was immediately impactful in the first few games of the season and then suffered a concussion that kept him out of the Week 6 game against the Raiders. Upon returning to the field, he picked up where he left off and although he is yet to score a touchdown, his reliability and speed have put the offense in better positions consistently.

Unfortunately, he was concussed again in the game against the Giants, forcing him to miss the next two games. That was when the Patriots felt it would be best to keep him out the rest of the season, but Douglas told MassLive he couldn't imagine staying on the sidelines to finish out his rookie year.

"For me, it’s not an option. They were trying to. I wasn’t going for it. I felt good, but stuff like that you do have to take precautions."

Most may feel that because the Patriots are clearly not going anywhere this season, and it was even apparent at the time of Douglas' injury, it doesn't make sense for him to want to come back. That didn't matter to the receiver, though, who reiterated his love for the game as the motivation to get back to the game.

"I can’t. I love this sport too much and with how long this offseason would be, I can’t. I just can’t sit out."

It's admirable to hear a rookie on a losing team have this attitude, making Douglas even more liked in New England. His potential is sky-high, and he will likely continue to raise the bar for himself throughout the final three games of the season.