The 2020 draft choice out of Lenoir-Rhyne will wear the “C” moving forward.
Veteran linebacker Ja’Whaun Bentley had not been among the roster transactions in Foxborough last week.
But after reportedly sustaining a torn pectoral versus the Seattle Seahawks, the green dot of the defense will now officially be heading to injured reserve, New England Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo announced during his Wednesday press conference.
“We lost one of our captains in Bentley,” Mayo told reporters. “He’s done a great job for us both on and off the field. A leader in the locker room, all that stuff. We’ll be putting Bentley on injured reserve later today.”
As a result, starting safety Kyle Dugger has been named a captain for the first time during his tenure with the organization that selected him No. 37 overall in the 2020 NFL draft.
Captain Dugg
Patriots have added @KingDugg_3 as a team captain. pic.twitter.com/AMUTzfrg8E
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) September 25, 2024
“Now in saying that, I thought it was important just to go back and talk about my experience,” Mayo said of the decision. “As you guys know, there were a few seasons there where I was hurt at the end. More than one, right? So, I was a captain seven out of eight years. But I remember getting hurt early in the season and then coach [Bill Belichick] approached me and said, ‘Hey, do you mind if we add another captain?’ And I didn’t. So, I had a conversation with Bentley. And the same thing with him, obviously not being in the building every single day right now as he goes through the rehab process. But I did ask him. I said, ‘You know, to me, it’s important that we still have leadership and representation for that side of the ball.’
“And when we did the votes for captains — once again this is voted on by their peers — it was very close. It was very close. Happy to announce today a guy that has done a tremendous job for us, has really shown a lot of growth on the field and off the field, and that’s Kyle Dugger. And so, Dugger is now a captain for us.”
Bentley, 28, entered his fourth season as a Patriots captain after playing a career-high 91 percent of the defensive snaps in 2023. The Purdue product, taken No. 143 overall in the 2018 class, stands 68 starts into his NFL run. He has totaled 509 tackles and 10.5 sacks to go with four forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and two interceptions.
Dugger, 28, reached a four-year contract extension in April after receiving the transition tag ahead of free agency. He has started 55 games during his time with New England, amassing 361 tackles and 3.5 sacks along with three forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, nine interceptions and two touchdowns.
The former Lenoir-Rhyne standout will wear the “C” moving forward alongside quarterback Jacoby Brissett, center David Andrews, defensive end Deatrich Wise Jr., fellow safety Jabrill Peppers and long snapper Joe Cardona.