The longtime Patriots captain was released after 10 years with the organization.
The New England Patriots have seen extensive personnel turnover across their roster over the last few seasons, but David Andrews remained a constant going back to 2015. On Thursday, however, his tenure came to an end.
Coming off a season-ending shoulder injury and with a new coaching staff in place, the team has opted to release its longtime starting center and team captain. In the aftermath of the move, owner Robert Kraft released a statement praising the 32-year-old.
“David Andrews’ career success is a shining example of what every NFL prospect should strive to achieve,” Kraft said. “As a rookie free agent, David earned a starting assignment at center in his NFL debut, a position he anchored for the next decade. His leadership, work ethic, and dedication to the team earned him the respect and admiration of his coaches and teammates, who elected him as an eight-time team captain.
“The importance of his leadership during his career cannot be overstated. David is a true professional, and his impact on this organization will be felt for many years to come.”
After joining the Patriots as a rookie free agent in 2015, he earned the starting center job the following offseason. From then on, he was mainstay on the offensive side of the ball even after the team’s dynasty had ended.
In total, Andrews is leaving the team with 131 starts under his belt as well as two Super Bowl rings in his possession. A “remarkable career,” as Kraft mentioned in his statement, that will be celebrated at some point in the future.
The Patriots have announced a press conference for Thursday at 1 p.m. ET, although they initially said it was related to their first wave of free agency signings.