FOXBORO, Mass. — Mike Gillislee was a full participant at New England Patriots practice Tuesday for the first time in three weeks.
After the session, the running back explained that he aggravated a hamstring injury early in training camp, causing him to be limited in several practices, skip the Patriots’ trip to West Virginia last week and sit out New England’s first two preseason games.
“It’s something that just happened,” Gillislee said. “I tried to burst on one of those plays at the beginning of camp, and it just happened. I was able to get an MRI, and everything was good. So I’m back today, and I felt 100 percent.”
He added: “It feels great. I went out there, and I think I missed a step because I was studying. I took visual reps each and every day. I studied, and I was able to go out there (Tuesday) and fly around a little bit.”
Gillislee initially suffered the injury back in April, when he still was a member of the Buffalo Bills. He acknowledged it was difficult to miss time, but he knew doing so was necessary.
“As far as injuries, that’s something that no football player in the world can control,” Gillislee said. “It’s something that’s been bothering me, but I’m good now.”
Gillislee is part of a loaded Patriots running back group that also features Dion Lewis, James White and Rex Burkhead. While White has played sparingly in the preseason so far, Lewis and Burkhead both have impressed. And even D.J. Foster, who might not make the 53-man roster, has shown flashes, rushing for one touchdown in New England’s preseason opener and catching another in Saturday’s loss to the Houston Texans.
“We’ve got a great group of running backs,” Gillislee said. “I’ve been a part of great groups of running backs (in the past), but these guys are special. Each and every day, we go out and compete and give it everything we’ve got, and it showed in the game. The backs stood out, and they did a great job.”
Thumbnail photo via Zack Cox/NESN.com
