Patriots running back James White missed his second consecutive game today after a car accident killed his father and injured his mother. But his teammates felt his presence.
Fellow running back Rex Burkhead, who scored three touchdowns in today’s win over the Raiders, said he and his teammates badly wanted to win for White.
“We tried to go out there and play for him,” Burkhead said, via the Associated Press. “He’s a brother to me. I really feel his pain.”
Burkhead wasn’t the only Patriots running back who had a big game: Sony Michel had nine carries for 117 yards, and he too said he was inspired by White.
“We came together and just played hard. That’s what James White does,” Michel said.
The Patriots paid a great tribute to White and his family by playing the way he would hope they would play in his absence.
