New England Patriots: James White defined the Patriot Way

Prior to the  New England Patriots  opening preseason game Thursday night against the New York Giants the team learned that one of their constants since 2014 is hanging up the cleats for good.

James White, the running back who is famous for his performance in Super Bowl LI, retired Thursday at the age of 30 after spending his entire eight year NFL career with the Patriots.

James White wasn’t going to recover for the New England Patriots

While it is sad that “Sweet Feet” will no longer be lacing them up for the Patriots, this move isn’t totally shocking. Fans had to have seen it coming after what happened in 2021, right?

I was at that game against the New Orleans Saints with some friends and we saw the injury firsthand. The talented running back out of Wisconsin did not look good when he was down on the ground. We were all wondering if he would ever step foot on a football field again. Short answer: no he wouldn’t!

White was never going to be the same for the New England Patriots. A hip injury is extremely hard to recover from, no matter what level of sports you’re playing. Plus, the beloved Patriot is 30 years old. Who knows how many good years he had left?

The good times of James White with the New England Patriots

James White turned into a reliable option for Tom Brady, Cam Newton, and three games for Mac Jones. He was that guy that was a dependable third down pass-catching back, that could go out and get a big first down for you.

Plus, let’s not forget about Super Bowl LI. Let’s have Chad Finn describe just how good White was during that miraculous Super Bowl comeback.

I mean, the numbers speak for themselves: 139 total yards with three touchdowns, a key two point conversion late in the game, and a walk-off TD that was the first in Super Bowl history. Safe to say, White made his case pretty hard for the MVP that night.

Want your voice heard? Join the Chowder And Champions team!

Write for us!

The highlights for the stealthy Patriots back are endless. He made play after play that had all New England Patriots fans worldwide hoopin’ and hollerin’ during games. White was a fun player to watch.

The bottom line for James White with the New England Patriots

When it’s all said and done, White was a class act through and through. He was loved by his teammates. A lot of Patriots players, past and present, saw him as a leader in the locker-room and on the field.

Eight seasons, 36 total touchdowns, and three Super Bowl rings define  White career as a Patriot. We thank the former Wisconsin running back for his time and dedication to the ‘Patriot Way’, which helped carve out a winning tradition.

So congrats to James White. It is well deserved and it was a true privilege to watch you on the football field, day in and day out. It didn’t end the way we envisioned it. But your legacy will always be remembered by the many members of Pats nation!