The New England Patriots announced Thursday that they have released longtime center David Andrews. Andrews was among the longest-tenured Patriots players, and was entering the final year of his contract in 2025 and scheduled to earn a base salary of $4 million; the Patriots added the 2025 season to his contract in May 2024, which included $8 million guaranteed.
Patriots owner Robert Kraft said in a statement: “David Andrews’ career success is a shining example of what every NFL prospect should strive to achieve. As a rookie free agent, David earned a starting assignment at center in his NFL debut, a position he anchored for the next decade. His leadership, work ethic, and dedication to the team earned him the respect and admiration of his coaches and teammates, who elected him as an eight-time team captain. The importance of his leadership during his career cannot be overstated. David is a true professional, and his impact on this organization will be felt for many years to come. On behalf of the entire Kraft family and the New England Patriots, I want to express my deepest gratitude for his countless contributions, and we look forward to celebrating his remarkable career.”
Andrews, 32, is an eight-time captain and two-time Super Bowl champion (2016-17 and 2018-19) who played in 124 regular-season games (121 starts) and 12 playoff games (10 starts) across nine seasons with New England, and was selected as the center on the Patriots’ 2010s All-Decade Team.
Last season, the center started in four games before a shoulder injury that required surgery landed him on injured reserve, and has been in rehabilitation over the past five months.
Editorial credit: MS Vector Art / Shutterstock.com
