Patriots Veteran Earns Praise For Mid-Game Position Change Vs. Ravens

The New England Patriots were forced to get uncomfortable during Sunday’s win over the Baltimore Ravens.

The Patriots already entered the game without starter Milton Williams, then lost Khyiris Tonga (foot) and Joshua Farmer (hamstring) to injuries that left the club’s depth depleted and scrambling for answers — which ultimately came in the form of linebacker Anfernee Jennings.

Jennings, who stands at 6-foot-2 and weighs 255 pounds, doesn’t exactly have the measurements you’re looking for our of an interior defensive lineman, but was forced to step into the fire following those injuries and held up well.

“We lost a lot of defensive linemen,” Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel said following the game, per team-provided video. “… Anfernee Jennings – [I give him] a lot of credit going in there and playing defensive line and helping us out. I appreciate what he did and everybody else that was able to step in.”

Jennings finished with one tackle — though it did come on a sack of Ravens quarterback Tyler Huntley — in his debut along the interior, which he was plenty happy with following the game.

“I always have the next man up mentality,” Jennings said, per MassLive’s Mark Daniels. “We’re working our ass off in practice, so I gained the confidence in practice to go out in the game and execute. Wherever they put me, that’s my job. I don’t take that lightly, so I was ready to go.”

Jennings has embodied what it means to be a good teammate this season, as he was essentially the last man on the roster and has seen his role diminish significantly — as he went from playing to 79% of the snaps in 2024 to 28% in 2025.

The Patriots needed him to step up on Sunday, however, and he did exactly that.