Kendrick Bourne catches touchdown pass from Drake Maye after Week 10 benching
FOXBORO -- Kendrick Bourne shrugged off his benching last week and made an immediate impact for the New England Patriots in Week 11, catching a first-quarter touchdown against the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday.
Bourne capped off a seven-play, 77-yard scoring drive by the Patriots when he hauled in a 10-yard touchdown pass from Drake Maye to put New England on top, 7-0, with just over five minutes left in the first quarter at Gillette Stadium. It was Bourne's first touchdown catch of the season, and the eighth touchdown pass by Maye in his rookie campaign.
.@DrakeMaye2 with a STRIKE to @BournePoly11‼️
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) November 17, 2024
📺: FOX pic.twitter.com/63Q38R5LgM
The touchdown catch was Bourne's second reception of the day, after he started the game with a four-yard catch on New England's first possession. He's now up to 10 receptions for 84 yards on the year.
Kendrick Bourne's Patriots career
Bourne is in his fourth season with the Patriots and the first year of a three-year extension that he signed with the team over the offseason. He's been a reliable pass-catcher since coming to New England in 2021, though he missed most of the 2023 season after tearing his ACL in Week 8.
Bourne started the 2024 season on PUP and missed the first four games as he recovered from that injury. He caught four of the six passes that went his way in New England's Week 9 loss to the Tennessee Titans, but then didn't play in Week 10 against the Bears as the Patriots wanted to get their younger receivers more involved in the offense.
Bourne took that move in stride, and brought his usual enthusiasm and energy to practice throughout Week 11. Now he's back to filling an important role on the Patriots' offense.