The New England Patriots suffered an immeasurable loss prior to the season when it was announced defensive lineman Christian Barmore would be out indefinitely after being diagnosed with blood clots.

Could he soon be making a return, though?

Barmore fueled plenty of speculation Thursday, as he dropped a cryptic nugget on social media to rile up the fanbase — posting an hourglass emoji on X.

Barmore’s post could really mean nothing other than the fact that he’s waiting on good news, but it should be noted the 25-year-old hadn’t posted on that platform since July. The Patriots are also terrible, so fans will take anything that can be perceived as positive and run with it.

New England reportedly has been “bracing for the possibility” its star, who is currently on the reserve/non-football injury, won’t play this season. Barmore technically is eligible to come off the list at any time, however, and recently has been a fixture in and around One Patriot Place.

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It’s time for more speculation to begin!

Featured image via Brian Fluharty/USA TODAY Sports Images