Patriots Make Christian Barmore Announcement Amid Blood Clot Concerns

The New England Patriots will face the Denver Broncos in the AFC Championship Game in Denver on Sunday.

Denver has a unique home-field advantage thanks to the higher altitude and the adjustment it requires for visiting teams. It may not seem like a big deal, but the higher altitude can create extra things for a visiting thing to think about, including injury risk.

Christian Barmore missed most of the 2024 season after dealing with life-threatening blood clots, per MassLive’s Chris Mason. He did not appear in a game until November of that season, but played in just four games due to symptoms recurring.

Now, headed to the higher altitude in Denver, there are concerns about Barmore’s health and how his body may react to the change. Mike Vrabel announced the team’s plan for Barmore and whether he would be limited in any way.

“No,” Vrabel said on Thursday when asked if there would be any limitations for Barmore. “Certainly something to monitor. There are some players we’ll have to monitor for one reason or another, but I don’t see any limitations for Christian.”

Barmore has played in 17 games this season, starting 16 of them. He’s played 665 snaps this season, pretty much on par with his breakout season in 2023. Barmore has two sacks this season and four tackles for a loss.

After missing most of last season, Barmore has rebounded great. After dealing with a serious health issue, he was motivated to remind fans what type of player he was.

“Really just a lot of fire in my heart,” Barmore told Mason before the season. “After that situation, people forget who I am. I’m bringing a lot of (competitiveness) with me. Every day, when I’m on this field.”

Barmore has started both playoff games for the Patriots this year and has five tackles and a tackle for a loss. The 6-foot-5, 315-pound defensive tackle has been a key player for Vrabel’s defense, and it is good news for the Patriots that he is a full-go this week.

Barmore has been limited in practice at times due to his history, according to The Boston Herald’s Doug Kyed. With no limitations this week despite the altitude, he could be in line for a big game. The last time he played in Denver was in Week 16 of the 2023 season, and he had three sacks, eight tackles and two tackles for a loss.