New England Patriots linebacker Brandon Spikes‘ agent addressed reports that were floating around about his client Monday night.
Spikes’ agent, Gary Uberstine, released a statement saying Spikes did not agree to be placed on injured reserve by the Patriots. Multiple reports came out Saturday morning saying the move was a mutual decision by the Patriots and Spikes to end the fourth-year linebacker’s season after he missed a team meeting.
Uberstine also said Spikes does not need surgery on the knee injury he has been nursing since midseason. Spikes’ PCL can be healed via rest.
Check out Uberstine’s full statement below, per The Boston Globe’s Ben Volin.
“Today, Brandon Spikes received a second medical opinion from Dr. Neal ElAttrache of the famed Kerlan Jobe Institute in Los Angeles, California. Dr. ElAttrache obtained a new MRI of Brandon’s left knee and concluded that no surgical intervention is necessary for the treatment of his PCL injury at this time. He confirmed that rest, along with the normal treatment protocol, is all that is required.
“In addition to various conflicting reports about the treatment of his knee, there have also been recently conflicting reports about the circumstances relating to his placement on injured reserve. Although Brandon’s paramount concern is not to let these rumors and innuendo become a distraction to his team and teammates, we felt it was important to clarify the record with respect to a few of the erroneous points which have been circulating.
“According to Gary Uberstine, CEO of Premier Sports & Entertainment, the team’s decision to place Brandon on injured reserve was not a mutual decision, nor need it be. Brandon had every intention to keep playing throughout the playoffs, despite the pain he was experiencing throughout the season. We never had a single conversation with the Patriots in which they threatened to release him if he didn’t accept the injured reserve designation. Spikes has been a great teammate, and nobody can question the passion with which he plays the game, or how important he has been to the Patriots’ success. Although he is disappointed that he won’t be able to line up alongside his teammates this weekend against the Broncos, he won’t let these rumors serve as a distraction and has no intention of making any further comment whatsoever concerning any of these issues.”
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