As the New England Patriots took down the Denver Broncos on Christmas Eve, defensive tackle Christian Barmore placed himself as the star on top of the metaphorical tree.
A 2021 second-round pick out of Alabama, Barmore has been a good addition up front, but on Sunday, he showed how much of a game-wrecker he can really be. The 24-year-old terrorized Russell Wilson and co. all night, scoring eight total tackles, two tackles for loss and a career-high three sacks. With a career-best performance, Barmore became the first Patriot to record at least seven tackles and three sacks in a game since Mike Vrabel in 2007.
Barmore's performance certainly caught the eye of Patriots Hall of Fame defensive lineman Richard Seymour, who sang his praises after the game.
“He’s explosive and has great athleticism,” Seymour said, per the Boston Globe. “He’s a versatile defensive lineman who can adapt to any defensive scheme. His fast reaction time and elusive movements make it challenging for opponents to stop. And he consistently displays an immense amount of effort and tenacity.
“Should he maintain his current trajectory, there’s no doubt that he will establish himself as a top-tier defensive lineman for many years to come.”
After hearing of Seymour's praise, Barmore was more than happy to reciprocate while expressing his gratitude.
“Legendary, man. That’s the guy that one day I want to be like. He’s a legendary player. One of the best to ever do it.
“So it’s a blessing to hear him say that about me. I look up to him. A great man and mentor worth looking up to. I appreciate that.”
New England's defense has clearly been the team's strong suit recently, even with stars like Matthew Judon and Christian Gonzalez missing most of the year, and Barmore has played a huge role in keeping the unit afloat.
As he looks to build on his breakout game, Barmore is looking forward to the challenge of containing Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen on Sunday.
“It’s all about getting him down,” Barmore said. “He’s strong. He’s got a good arm. He’s athletic and he can move. He’s one of the hardest quarterbacks for me to take down, for sure. You just have to have real good rushes and contain.”
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