Bill Belichick gives encouraging injury update on Patriots running back Ty Montgomery

Not only did the New England Patriots offense struggle during last Friday’s preseason finale against the Las Vegas Raiders, it also saw one of its players leave with an injury: running back Ty Montgomery stayed on the ground following a 4-yard carry in the first quarter.

Montgomery had to be helped off the field after the play, and was later carted to the locker room. He was ruled out for the remainder of the contest at halftime.

While his quick change in status appeared to be an ominous sign, it looks like the injury might not be quite as bad as initially feared. After all, Patriots head coach Bill Belichick gave an encouraging-sounding update on WEEI’s The Greg Hill Show on Monday morning.

“We haven’t practiced since we’ve been back here, so we’ll see how things go today, see what he’s able to do,” he said. “But I think he’s doing alright.”

Belichick’s statement leaves space for interpretation, but at the very least it suggests that the injury sustained by Montgomery is not of the season-ending variety. It would still not be a surprise to see him miss some time because of the ailment, but Belichick’s statement add some contest to what appeared to be a potentially rough situation for player and team alike.

Montgomery, after all, was — and still is — projected to be prominently featured within the Patriots’ offense this year. With the retirement of long-time receiving back James White earlier in training camp, he became the frontrunner to fill that role in 2022: Montgomery has been New England’s third running back for most of the summer, alongside early-down options Damien Harris and Rhamondre Stevenson.

An eight-year veteran, Montgomery arrived in New England earlier this offseason. He signed a two-year, $3.6 million contract with the organization. Seeing action in two preseason contests, he touched the football six times for 22 yards and a touchdown.