BenJarvus Green-Ellis Quick to Credit Teammates After Surpassing 1,000 Rushing Yards for Season

FOXBORO, Mass. — There's an acclaim that comes with being a 1,000-yard rusher in the NFL, and that's something that no one can take away from Patriots running back BenJarvus Green-Ellis.

He surpassed that milestone Sunday with his 229th and final carry of the regular season, and he went to the sideline amid a huge ovation from the Gillette Stadium crowd and received a number of congratulatory hugs and handshakes from each of his teammates and coaches, who have said for weeks they'd fight hard to get Green-Ellis to the millennium mark.

"It's not really an individual accomplishment," Green-Ellis said. "For one person to say that they [reached] 1,000 yards by themselves would be lying to you. Everyone worked hard."

Green-Ellis went undrafted in 2008 and was released by the Patriots prior to the final round of roster cuts at the conclusion of training camp. After no one claimed him — the second time in four months the whole league had a shot to take him — the Patriots added him to their practice squad.

And as much as the Patriots liked Green-Ellis, who has been dependable, consistent and sturdy all the way through, he was still, essentially, fifth on their depth chart at the start of training camp this season. That's quite the rise for the third-year pro, and he's not expected to flatline from here.

Patriots teammate Fred Taylor, who has rushed for 1,000 yards seven times in his career, said Green-Ellis has the potential to be a 1,500-yard back down the road. So a 1,000-yard season symbolized Green-Ellis' arrival, but after making it this far, it's apparent that it's not his end game.

"I never really think about it," Green-Ellis said about being overlooked. "I never worry about things that I can't control. The only thing I can control is coming to practice, coming to the games, working hard, do the best I can and put my best foot forward."