Week 5 in Buffalo changed the New England Patriots’ backfield. Antonio Gibson tore his ACL on a kickoff return, ending his season and forcing New England to reshuffle roles and add depth. Entering the playoffs, here is what Gibson’s status looks like.
Antonio Gibson Injury Update
Gibson suffered a right ACL tear on a second-quarter kickoff return in Week 5 against Buffalo. He went down after a brutal hit, clutched his knee, and was ruled out for the remainder of the game before subsequent tests confirmed the torn ligament.
He was later placed on injured reserve, ending his season. Before the injury, he had logged 25 carries for 106 yards and one touchdown and remained one of New England’s top kickoff returners, including a 90-yard touchdown in Week 2.
The injury arrived as usage was poised to rise. Ball-security issues had reduced early snaps for the starter, opening opportunities for Gibson in both traditional and “pony” two-back groupings.
Post-injury, the Patriots redistributed early-down work and leaned more on the rookie while reshuffling special teams duties. The immediate downstream impact was a thinner rotation and the need for practice-squad and roster flexibility to cover carries and returns.
Will Gibson Return This Season?
A torn ACL typically requires a lengthy recovery window, often lasting around 10 to 12 months for professional athletes, such as those in the NFL.
After undergoing surgery, the update shared publicly by Gibson’s family indicated the operation was successful, aligning expectations with a return targeting the 2026 campaign rather than any late-season cameo in 2025.
The club has avoided rushing timelines and kept its focus on completing rehab milestones before any next-season ramp-up.
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The team’s posture remains consistent with established injury management. With Gibson on injured reserve, activation this year is not in play, and the next checkpoint is a standard offseason progression, beginning with conditioning, followed by position drills, and eventually contact once cleared.
Any earlier return would be atypical for the injury; the realistic outlook is participation in 2026 preparation if the targets are met without setback.
Patriots RB Depth Chart
New England supplemented the room following the injury by signing Jashaun Corbin to the practice squad, creating space with a corresponding release.
Corbin had brief regular-season experience and recent UFL production and now joins existing depth options as the team manages workload and special teams assignments through the stretch run. The move reflects a pragmatic approach to stabilize rotation and returns while Gibson recovers in the long term.
Beyond the practice-squad addition, the rotation continues to run through the lead back and the rookie, with situational packages adjusted on a week-to-week basis. Internal considerations for additional call-ups or signings remain fluid based on health and game-plan needs.
The initial reporting after the injury noted that practice-squad candidates were already in-house and suggested that the team could pursue further veteran depth as required.
The immediate backfield picture is a blend of early-down usage, ball-security emphasis, and special-teams continuity, with return duties redistributed after losing one of the unit’s top returners.
Roster management has prioritized steadiness and contingency over short-term risk, and any Gibson updates will track with recovery benchmarks rather than calendar targets.
Here is how the Patriots’ running back depth chart looks for the playoffs:
- RB1: Rhamondre Stevenson
- RB2: TreVeyon Henderson
- RB3: D’Ernest Johnson
New England Patriots’ Stats and Insights for Wild Card Round
Team: The Patriots’ win against the Bills in Week 5 stands as their only victory this season against a team with a .500 or better record. Notably, New England played just three games against teams finishing at least .500, the fewest of any playoff team.
Playoffs: Mike Vrabel holds a 2-3 record as a postseason coach, with one of his two wins coming on the road against the Patriots in what turned out to be the final game of the Brady-Belichick era.
QB: Drake Maye improved his QBi score from 74.1 (C) as a rookie to 91.1 (A-) this season.
OFF: New England scored at least 24 points in an NFL-high 14 games. Impressively, this ties for the most in the league over the last five seasons. The Patriots also finished second in PFSN’s Offense Impact (OFFi) with a score of 86.6.
DEF: The Patriots recorded a DEFi score of 78.2 (C+), ranking 12th in the league. Last season, New England placed 30th with a 66.1 (D), their lowest score since 2000.
