Amid an outbreak of injuries heading into Sunday’s game against the Las Vegas Raiders, the New England Patriots had at least some good news to announce. Brenden Schooler will make his 2026 debut Sunday, coach Mike Vrabel said, as the Patriots activate the special-teams captain from the reserve/non-football injury list (NFI).
The move hands a battered secondary and the kicking game a proven contributor, on a day when the injury report keeps growing.
Vrabel confirmed the news around 1:10 p.m. ET Friday, saying Schooler will fill the open spot on the 53-man roster for Sunday’s 1 p.m. ET game at Gillette Stadium. The Raiders arrive at 3-1, while the Patriots stand at 2-2.
Schooler was barred from returning any sooner. Players on the NFI or physically unable to perform (PUP) lists may practice after Week 2 but cannot join the active roster until after Week 4, and the team’s 21-day window to decide began Sept. 23. The deadline falls Oct. 14.
A Dana Point, Calif., native born May 30, 1997, Schooler went undrafted in 2022 after a college career in Oregon and Texas. He signed with New England as a rookie free agent May 9 of that year.
Brenden Schooler’s Back Injury and Return Timeline
Schooler opened training camp in late July on the NFI list with a back issue and never practiced in camp, according to Pro Football Rumors. He neared activation in late August, but the club kept him on reserve/NFI when it set its initial 53-man roster Aug. 30.
He returned to practice Sept. 23 as a limited participant and has been full since, including Thursday. He was “chomping at the bit,” Schooler said Wednesday, according to The Boston Globe. The layoff “felt like an eternity,” he added, and he has worked mostly in a scout-team role since returning.
His listed injury history is short. An ankle injury sidelined him in 2025, when he left the Nov. 23 game at Cincinnati in the second quarter, sat out Dec. 1 against the Giants and returned Dec. 14 against Buffalo, according to Fox Sports injury records.
Most of his production comes on special teams. Through 2025, he has played 66 games without a start, with 42 tackles and two sacks on defense, according to Patriots.com data. He earned AP first-team All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors in 2024, became a first-time captain in 2025 and posted a career-high 14 special-teams tackles in the regular season, then added six more in the postseason, a team high.
New England locked him up with a three-year, $9 million extension in October 2024, a deal that runs through 2027.
Patriots Roster Picture Ahead of Raiders Game
Schooler takes the final open spot after Thursday’s moves, when the club signed safety Mike Brown from the practice squad and re-signed outside linebacker Jose Ramirez to the practice squad, according to The Boston Herald.
Vrabel said Wednesday he does not expect injured reserve activations this week for offensive tackle Marcus Bryant, punter Bryce Baringer or linebacker Khalil Jacobs. Linebacker Harold Landry remains on PUP and is not practicing. Safety Dell Pettus went on injured reserve Sept. 23, so Schooler adds depth behind Kevin Byard, Craig Woodson and Jaylen Reed.
Thursday’s injury report listed five players who did not practice: cornerback Carlton Davis III (neck), fullback Reggie Gilliam (ankle/knee), cornerback Christian Gonzalez (shoulder), wide receiver Mack Hollins (calf) and cornerback Karon Prunty (hamstring). Quarterback Drake Maye (right shoulder) and Schooler (back) were full participants.
Patriots Announce Encouraging Brenden Schooler Update Before Raiders Game