The New England Patriots have released center David Andrews, a key player and eight-time captain who contributed significantly to the team over the past decade. At 32, Andrews is recovering from shoulder surgery that limited his participation last season. If he chooses to retire, the Patriots plan a ceremony to honor his contributions. Over his nine-season career, he earned two Super Bowl titles, started in 121 games, and was recognized for his leadership and community service. Andrews’ release creates a challenge for the team to fill his void, with younger players ready to step in.
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — The New England Patriots are initiating a significant change at center, parting ways with a key player from the past decade.
David Andrews, an eight-time captain and two-time Super Bowl winner, was officially released by the Patriots on Thursday.
At 32, Andrews is currently recovering from shoulder surgery that limited him to just four games last season. If he decides against continuing his career elsewhere, the Patriots plan to hold a retirement ceremony to acknowledge his extensive contributions to the team.
If this scenario unfolds, it would be reminiscent of receiver Julian Edelman, who was released before officially announcing his retirement due to a chronic knee issue in 2021.
Andrews has participated in 124 regular-season games (121 starts) and 12 playoff games (10 starts) with the Patriots, earning a spot as center on the Patriots’ 2010s All-Decade Team.
His journey from undrafted free agent in 2015 to starting center at the beginning of his rookie season stands out as one of the Patriots’ most prominent underdog tales in recent history.
“David Andrews’ journey is a remarkable example of what every NFL prospect should aim for,” said Patriots owner Robert Kraft in a statement. “As a rookie free agent, David stepped into the starting center role for his NFL debut and maintained that position for the next decade. His leadership, dedication, and tireless work ethic earned him great respect from both his coaches and teammates, who named him an eight-time team captain. The significance of his leadership throughout his career is immeasurable. David is a consummate professional, and his influence on our organization will be felt for many years ahead. On behalf of the Kraft family and the New England Patriots, I extend my sincere gratitude for his innumerable contributions and we eagerly anticipate celebrating his outstanding career.”
A graduate of the University of Georgia, Andrews has always credited former coach Bill Belichick for giving him the opportunity to compete in the NFL, noting that he was the only head coach who personally worked him out before the 2015 draft.
Together with long-snapper Joe Cardona, Andrews was one of the Patriots’ longest-serving players and was entering the final year of his contract in 2025 with a base salary of $4 million. In May 2024, the Patriots extended his contract for the 2025 season, including $8 million guaranteed.
Andrews played the first four games of last season before sustaining a shoulder injury that necessitated surgery, which led to him being placed on injured reserve. He has been in rehabilitation for the past five months.
Following the conclusion of the 2024 season, Andrews reflected on his circumstances.
“I did everything I could to compete [in 2024], and it didn’t turn out well,” he remarked. “I had to make a difficult choice, knowing that the surgery might not go as planned, which could lead to further complications. Thankfully, it went well.
“I understand this is a challenging industry; the organization may come to me and suggest it’s time for me to move on. Alternatively, I might realize during OTAs or training camp that I can’t continue. If the organization elects to take a different direction, that is their prerogative, and I hope that’s not the case. I want to keep playing football. I’ve dedicated a significant part of my life to this — 26 years — and I would love to extend that to 27 and see what happens next. I’m going to give it my all.”
Filling the gap left by Andrews will be a difficult task for the Patriots.
On-field, they will look to third-year players Ben Brown (10 starts in 2024) and Cole Strange (two starts in 2024) for depth at center, along with backup Lecitus Smith.
Off-the-field, Andrews was also recognized as the team’s Ron Burton Community Service Award recipient in 2020, the franchise’s most esteemed off-field honor. He frequently acted as an informal spokesperson for the locker room and was known for being among the first players to arrive for postgame interviews.