Sunday’s kickoff at Levi’s Stadium is set for 6:30 p.m. ET.
The New England Patriots will turn to familiar reinforcements against the Seattle Seahawks.
The organization elevated running back D’Ernest Johnson and defensive tackle Leonard Taylor III from the practice squad on the eve of Super Bowl LX.
From the wild card to the divisional round to the AFC Championship Game, both have had a hand throughout the playoffs after reaching the NFL limit in standard call-ups during the regular season. Sunday at Levi’s Stadium is next.
Johnson, 29, has appeared in 10 games altogether since arriving in Foxborough in October. Through stints on the practice squad and 53-man roster, the 5-foot-11, 205-pound running back stands with 46 snaps on offense and 41 snaps on special teams. He will continue to round out an active depth chart led by starter Rhamondre Stevenson and rookie TreVeyon Henderson after Terrell Jennings’ 21-day practice window closed.
A veteran of 108 combined games, Johnson’s NFL career includes 228 carries for 1,014 yards, 53 catches for 467 yards, 47 kickoff returns for 1,126 yards, as well as three starts and three touchdowns. Setting out with the Alliance of American Football’s Orlando Apollos, the 2018 undrafted free agent from the University of South Florida has also been a member of the Cleveland Browns, Jacksonville Jaguars, Baltimore Ravens and Arizona Cardinals.
Taylor, 23, blocked a field goal with 4:46 remaining at Mile High versus the Denver Broncos en route to the conference title. Also signed in October, the 6-foot-3, 305-pound defensive lineman has made six appearances while notching eight tackles and one quarterback hit. His stay spans 104 snaps on defense and nine snaps in the kicking game.
Undrafted in 2024, Taylor began his NFL journey elsewhere in the AFC East. Waived off the New York Jets’ 53-man roster in the fall, the University of Miami product has recorded 35 tackles, 1.5 sacks, a handful of stops for loss and the aforementioned block through 22 career contests.
The Patriots listed starting linebackers Harold Landry III and Robert Spillane as questionable on the final injury report of the year. Rookie defensive tackle Joshua Farmer, who carried a game designation alongside the captains, will remain on injured reserve for Sunday versus the Seahawks.
Kickoff in Santa Clara is set for 6:30 p.m. ET.
Category: General Sports
