Former Patriots RB Calls For James White To Receive This Honor

Moving on from the New England Patriots and the NFL as a whole became all the more real for James White on Tuesday.

Five days after announcing his NFL retirement, White was honored at a ceremony held at Gillette Stadium. An emotional White spoke about everything from his attempted comeback to future plans and also received a glowing tribute from New England head coach Bill Belichick.

The Patriots shared photos from the special occasion on their official Instagram page. The post elicited a comment from one of White’s former teammates who believes “Sweetfeet” is deserving of the organization’s highest individual honor.

“Red jacket next,” Brandon Bolden, now with the Las Vegas Raiders, wrote in the comment section.

White certainly has a résumé worthy of a Patriots Hall of Fame nod. The three-time Super Bowl champion became one of New England’s most reliable players after effectively red-shirting as a rookie in 2014, and he had a knack for stepping up in the biggest moments. His finest hour came in Super Bowl LI when he caught 14 passes for 110 yards and scored three total touchdowns, including the game-winner in overtime that completed the Patriots’ remarkable comeback over the Atlanta Falcons.

Furthermore, and arguably most important, everyone who crossed paths with White over the course of his eight years in Foxboro had a great deal of respect and admiration for the dual-threat back. All of these factors and more make White a virtual lock to be a Patriots Hall of Famer.