FOXBORO, Mass. — Danny Amendola didn’t travel with the New England Patriots last week, but he could be ready go Sunday.
The wide receiver sounded positive about the knee sprain that kept him out of the Patriots’ 30-24 overtime loss to the Denver Broncos on Sunday night.
“I’ll get out there today and run around and know more,” Amendola said Wednesday. “I feel good. I feel — I can’t put a number on it or give a percentage, but I feel OK to go out there and run around today.”
Amendola said the injury occurred during the third quarter of the Patriots’ Nov. 23 win over the Buffalo Bills on a 41-yard reception. Amendola stayed on the field for the next play, a 6-yard touchdown run by James White, and even came back out for a punt return after the Bills’ ensuing drive.
“It didn’t hurt while I was walking around, so I figured why not go test it,” Amendola said. “It wasn’t ready to go at a high level.
“I didn’t think it was bad at first. I couldn’t run, really turn over my legs at a high rate. I didn’t want to hobble around out there and get killed.”
Quarterback Tom Brady is looking forward to having the slot receiver, who has caught 49 passes for 520 yards with two touchdowns this season, back on the field.
“That would be great,” Brady said. “We’ll see how that goes throughout the week. Danny always tells me that, so he always feels good. He’s a tough guy. Danny’s a warrior, man.”
Amendola, who had a reputation for being injury prone before coming to the Patriots — with whom he has played 43 of 48 possible games — doesn’t take sitting out of games or practice lightly.
“You want to play,” Amendola said. “That’s why you’re here, that’s why everyone is here, to play football, not be in the tub. It’s not a good feeling to not be available.”
Thumbnail photo via Mark L. Baer/USA TODAY Sports Images
