With a season ending ACL injury back in Week 5, Gibson was the first cap casualty of the New England Patriots this offseason.
Just when the New England Patriots were warming up back in Week 5 of the regular season, running back Antonio Gibson suffered a season-ending ACL tear. It would be the last time he would wear a Patriots jersey.
The Patriots announced on Monday that they will release the running back after his second year with the team. Gibson was set to earn a base salary of $2.85 million this coming season, with no more guaranteed money on his contract, but it seems he is the first major victim of offseason moves by the team.
2026 was going to be the final year of his three-year deal with the Patriots.
On the Patriots Roundtable Podcast this week, Gibson was touched on a bit as a potential cap casualty due to his ACL tear this season. The 27-year-old rusher made an impact early on in the regular season. One moment in particular was his kickoff returned for a touchdown in the Week 2 win over the Miami Dolphins.
The other issue, despite the injury that sidelined Gibson all season, was the depth the Patriots have at rushing right now. Both Rhamondre Stevenson and rookie TreyVeyon Henderson added two different styles to the backfield during Gibson's absence. There is a possibility that the Patriots reviewed the financials and felt a release was imminent.
There are also three other running backs on the current roster for the Patriots: Terrell Jennings, Elijhiah Mitchell, and Lan Larrison. These three may be vying for the RB3 spot in 2026.
Gibson began his career with the Washington Commanders from 2020 to 2023 before coming to the Patriots for the 2024 and 2025 seasons. He currently has 35 starts out of 83 NFL games he has played in. He has 3,287 rushing yards and 24 touchdowns, along with 1,495 receiving yards and seven touchdowns.
Gibson took to Instagram shortly after the news of his release broke, thanking fans for backing him in 2025.
"Thank you to the organization and the fans for the support and belief, but the journey continues, and the best is yet to come," Gibson said on his Instagram post.
The 27-year-old's contract counted for $4.14 million against the salary cap in 2026. This move by the Patriots has freed up some space that could aid decision-making in the weeks to come.
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