Bill Belichick Leaves Door Open For Matthew Judon To Return This Season

After Matthew Judon tore his biceps in Week 4, initial reports indicated the Patriots star could return in December.

That was when you still could squint and see a path toward New England making the playoffs. Since then, the Patriots have lost seven of eight games and established themselves as the worst team in the NFL.

Nevertheless, December is here, and Judon, who's remained present and engaged on Patriots gamedays, clearly has made progress. So, could he return to practice sometime down the stretch?

"We'll see. That's a good question," Bill Belichick said during his Monday morning video call. "We'll see. That's a medical question. So, we'll see how that plays out. I know he's working hard. Matt's been in here and is working hard on a daily basis. But again, that's a medical question that I wouldn't be able to answer."

Last month, Belichick was asked if New England's record could impact whether players on injured reserve, like Judon, could return late in the season. He insisted it wouldn't, so we'll take him at his word.

Remarkably, Judon still is tied for the team lead with four sacks. Ja'Whaun Bentley and Christian Barmore also have four sacks, but no other Patriots player has more than 2.5 sacks.

The 2-10 Patriots will return to practice Tuesday before traveling to Pittsburgh on Wednesday. Thursday night's game against the Steelers is scheduled to kick off at 8:15 p.m. ET.