Will Campbell ready to return to Patriots after ‘miserable’ stint on injured reserve

“It obviously isn’t fun, but it’s a part of this game. And just tried to attack the rehab process and get better.”

Will Campbell returned to practice on Wednesday. (AP Photo/Gary McCullough)

January 1, 2026 | 8:42 AM

2 minutes to read

Will Campbell found himself in uncharted waters earlier this season.

For the first time in his football career, Campbell was ruled out of a game due to injury — with a reported MCL sprain in late November landing him on injured reserve for four games.

“I was miserable,” Campbell said. “It obviously isn’t fun, but it’s a part of this game. And just tried to attack the rehab process and get better.”

But New England should have some reinforcements on the way for Sunday’s regular-season finale against the Dolphins, as Campbell returned to the practice field on Wednesday and could be in line to play against Miami.

Campbell — New England’s starting left tackle for most of the season and the No. 4 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft — would be a welcome addition to New England’s offensive line ahead of the playoffs.

“Been working hard over these past couple of weeks, just trying to get back,” Campbell said. “So to be able to finally get back out there today, I’m excited.”

All things considered, both the Patriots and Campbell are fortunate that the gifted rookie’s absence was only four games — especially given the optics of Campbell’s knee giving way during the team’s road win over the Bengals.

“[Expletive],” Campbell said when asked about his reaction to the injury. “I mean, just disappointed. Whenever you hear a noise, it’s not something that you want to hear. I think every athlete in every sport will tell you that.

“It’s just difficult to process, but I had a lot of good guys around me on the team, the coaching staff, the training staff, that have gone through this injury before. They helped talk me through everything.”

New England’s offensive line has largely been able to remain afloat with Campbell on the mend, with Vederian Lowe filling in as New England’s left tackle during his four-game absence. Over that stretch, New England went 3-1.

With the gauntlet of postseason football on the horizon, Campbell was asked if he’d prefer to see some snaps during Sunday’s game against Miami in order to shake off some rust.

“That’s not my call. I’m worried about one thing, and that’s in 30 minutes [during practice], Campbell said. “We’ll see how that goes. And then after that, we’ll worry about tomorrow, and then Friday and so on and so forth.”

Conor Ryan is a staff writer covering the Bruins, Celtics, Patriots, and Red Sox for Boston.com, a role he has held since 2023.

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