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New England Patriots linebacker Harold Landry III hinted at offseason surgery in a new column. ESPN’s Mike Reiss reported this on Sunday.
Landry dealt with the knee injury throughout the season, and it bothered him late in the year. He was sidelined and sat out of practice due to the issue ahead of the Patriots’ week 15 game against the Buffalo Bills. He did not play in the AFC Championship Game against the Denver Broncos and was also limited in the Divisional Round against the Houston Texans.
Landry did end up playing in Super Bowl LX against the Seattle Seahawks. However, he was listed as questionable due to the knee issues. He recorded a tackle in the game.
Landry was a key piece of the Patriots’ defense when healthy. He was one of the team’s premier off-season signings in March 2025, signing a three-year, $43.5 million deal. This included up to $26 million in guaranteed money.
The former Tennessee Titans star ended up having a productive year for the Patriots. He recorded 49 total tackles and 8.5 sacks on the year. This included a 2.5-sack game in the opener against the Las Vegas Raiders.
New England Patriots Star Getting Back Healthy
Although he put up good numbers, the injury certainly hampered his play. Now, Landry will focus on getting his knee back to full health, per Reiss.
Landry, who never seemed to be the same after injuring his knee Week 6 at New Orleans, hinted at offseason surgery.
His $11 million base salary is guaranteed for 2026, which will be his ninth in the NFL.
“I’m going to get my knee right, and we’re going to get right back to it,” he said
This is certainly going to be an important procedure for the Patriots’ defense and for Landry himself. He was still able to play at a high level despite the injuries. Now, he will be able to play at full health when the 2026 season kicks off. Landry became a leader of the Patriots’ defense overnight, and his play jump-started the unit.
This could be important as the team looks to find an identity defensively. They still do not have a defensive coordinator. With that being said, Terrell Williams is still in the building, and interim defensive coordinator Zach Kuhr has been tabbed as a leading candidate for the position.
However, the defensive coordinator may be, they will be under the watchful eye of Mike Vrabel. The latter is looking to continue building the Patriots organization, as the rebuild is now ahead of schedule. Landry has experience with Vrabel, having played for him while they were both with the Tennessee Titans. A strong rapport was evident for the Patriots this season, as Landry helped set the tone defensively.
Something To Watch For New England Patriots Fans
How he recovers from this procedure will be something to watch. There is still a ton of time between now and the regular season. With that being said, the Patriots will still have many camps and workouts prior to that. The former Boston College star will have a chance to ramp up activities during the timeframe, and that could help him progress in his recovery. This will be something to watch, as he remains an integral part of the defense. He was one of the Patriots’ most productive free agent signings this season, and will look to follow it up with a strong second act.