White has worked closely with the Patriots training staff in his rehab, as well as renowned physical therapist David Reavy. Thanks to the new techniques and exercises he's learned, he jokes his right hip is now looser than the left one he didn't hurt.
"My hips were always tight prior to this so it was kind of funny, because when they checked my hips, my injured hip is more flexible than my other hip," White said. "But it's been awesome to kind of focus on those, especially because my hips had been so tight previously, so I think that definitely helped me out in the long run."
The training staff wasn't the only members of the organization he had close contact with.
While he was injured and away from the team, White's teammates say he found ways to contribute, keeping close contact with Damien Harris and the rest of the backfield.
"It was awesome," White said of watching guys like Brandon Bolden, Damien Harris and Rhamondre Stevenson step up the rest of last season.
"Those are extremely talented players. Damien, going on his fourth year, he's gotten better and better each and every year. And Rhamondre, you know, coming in his rookie year and starting slow but each and every week he got better and better taking the coaching and working hard. And you can see he's going be a special player as well. So, I'm excited to get back with those guys. We have a talented backfield and we're going to help push this team to be as best as possible."
For White, that entails picking up where he left off with Mac Jones.
Through the first two games of the quarterback's rookie season, White had 12 receptions, serving as Jones' security blanket as he got acclimated to the NFL. The veteran back is proud of how his young teammate held his own through the rest of the season without him.
"He had a great rookie year. He pushed himself" White said of Jones. "It's not easy being a rookie quarterback and starting all 17 games. It's a challenge, but he welcomed it with open arms. Even the Buffalo Bills game, I think he threw it one time. Everybody thinks that's so easy, but it's stressful to kind of take that backseat and not be able to do what you do to show your talents. But he's the ultimate competitor. I'm excited to back out there with them and we could push each other to help this team."
White will have help from his fellow captains.
New England also re-signed Matthew Slater and Devin McCourty, bringing back a strong veteran core to help uphold the Patriot Way. White is glad to see them coming back as well, crediting them for setting that tone in the locker room.
Between those three players returning in free agency and the NFL dropping COVID-19 protocols, White looks forward to a season that feels a little more normal than the last two.
It all starts with him getting back on the field.
"I never feel like I have anything to prove to anybody, it's more of what I need to prove to myself," White said.
"First and foremost is me just getting back and feeling the best I can possibly be so whenever I step out on that football field I'm 100% and ready to go and ready to compete at a high level for entire stretch of the season."
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March 21, 2022 at 07:55PM
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Return to Patriots was 'simple choice' for James White after difficult last two years - Patriots.com
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