New England Patriots running back Fred Taylor has been forced to have surgery on an ankle injury, but expects to be back in the NFL this season.
Veteran running back hoping to return after undergoing ankle surgery
New England Patriots running back Fred Taylor has been forced to have surgery on an ankle injury, but expects to be back in the NFL this season.
Taylor is the leading rusher in the Patriots' crowded backfield, with head coach Bill Belichick employing a four-man rotational system at running back so far this season.
Veteran Taylor signed with the Patriots after 11 season with the Jacksonville Jaguars, and had looked something like a lead back as he topped the rushing charts with 201 yards so far this season.
The 33-year-old broke out for 105 yards against the Atlanta Falcons, but a week later he limped out New England's victory over Baltimore with a high ankle sprain and then required surgery on damaged ligaments.
Taylor is not sure how long he will be out for but expects to return this season, and he is just disappointed at the timing of his latest setback.
Stronger
"I'll know more once I meet again with the doctor," Taylor told The
Florida Times-Union. "I will bounce back stronger. I know it. I've prayed on it."
"I had just started to feel comfortable with the coaching staff and the offense. I had just gotten to where I felt they trusted me.
"I needed to have that 100-yard game to prove they could trust me. That's the part that hurts most about the whole situation."
The Patriots will now go with the three men who have been sharing carries with Taylor this season - Sammy Morris, Laurence Maroney and Kevin Faulk - while BenJarvus Green-Ellis should also play after being inactive for three of the four games this season.
Taylor has been hampered by injuries his entire career, but he has still run for over 1,100 yards in seven of his 11 seasons in the NFL and is 15th in the all-time standings with 11,472 career yards.
Taylor misses out on New England's trip to unbeaten Denver on Sunday, but wide receiver Randymoss and linebacker Adalius Thomas should play after their absence from practice was said to be not through injury.
