Danny Amendola has newfound confidence with upgraded helmet
Jim Rogash | Getty Images |
There’s no way to sugarcoat it - New England Patriots wide receiver, Danny Amendola, is injury-prone. But when he’s healthy, he’s one of Tom Brady’s most trusted targets.
Amendola was playing with an older helmet when he went down with a concussion in Week 1 against the Kansas City Chiefs. When the injury happened, Patriots’ equipment manager Brenden Murphy wanted to help and offered Amendola a solution.
What Murphy introduced to him was a “state-of-the-art, technologically advanced” helmet.
“He’s the best in the entire world,” Amendola said about Murphy. “He saved my life.”
“It’s top level, the best they make,” said the 31-year-old wide receiver of the helmet. “They’re constantly making new helmets, testing them out and trying to improve them. Mine was and older model to begin with, and I could have upgraded, so I did.”
If this solution is the answer to his injury problems, it’s definitely a good sign for New England, especially on third down and punt returning.
Last season he was only targeted 29 times, but he made it count when it mattered the most. Eighteen of his 29 targets came on third down, in which he converted on 11 of them. So far this season, he has nine total catches, seven that have been turned into first downs. He also has two punt returns for 53 yards in the early parts of the 2017 season.
So, with a new helmet comes new confidence and appreciation. If Amendola is able to stay off the injury list, look for him to become even more of a third-down weapon and beyond.
Follwo Megan on Twitter: @carnahanmegan