Arrow-right Camera
Subscribe now
Eastern Washington University Football

Patriots’ Kendrick Bourne pleased with how he responded to benching in Miami

New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick has a laugh with Kendrick Bourne during training camp at Gillette Stadium on August 2, 2022 in Foxboro, Massachusetts.   (Matt Stone/Boston Herald)
By Chris Mason Tribune News Service

PITTSBURGH — Kendrick Bourne wasn’t the star of the show in Pittsburgh.

That honor belonged to Nelson Agholor. But in New England’s 17-14 win over the Steelers, Bourne did see his role grow from film extra to main cast member.

A week after getting on the field for two plays in Miami, Bourne got almost two dozen snaps on Sunday afternoon. He caught two passes for 16 yards and would’ve had another big gainer had it not been called back for holding.

Standing in front of his locker stall at Acrisure Stadium, the former Eastern Washington receiver was pleased with how he’d dealt with a little early season adversity.

“I responded well. I didn’t let it get to me. I’m a team player, that’s truly what it’s about, Bourne said. “It doesn’t matter if I get zero plays, man. If we win, we win. If we lose, we lose. But just as a whole, just buying in to what we want to do, to be in a place at the end of the year that we want to be.”

Players don’t generally have postgame scrums after two-catch performances, but Bourne’s locker was surrounded by reporters. He’s hopeful that the attention is diverted elsewhere now that things are seemingly going back to normal.

“I’m a team player, man. I’m not trying to get the limelight. I’m not trying to have you all in my face. It’s just how it works sometimes,” Bourne said. “It’s all about growing with the team and everybody finding their role. It’s a new system so it’s just growing as we go through the weeks.