Patriots Christian Barmore Breaks Silence on Benching

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — While New England Patriots defensive tackle Christian Barmore was conspicuous by his absence from the first quarter of the team’s 32-13 victory over the Cleveland Browns in Week 8, he made his presence felt as the team took the practice fields adjacent to Gillette Stadium to begin Week 9.

Barmore, per head coach Mike Vrabel, was sidelined for what he deemed “disciplinary reasons. ”Though the fifth-year defensive starter may not have been in an overly divulgatory mood to share a copious amount of details, he did set the record straight in true Patriot fashion.

“I’ve moved on … next question,” Barmore told reporters at Gillette Stadium post practice when asked to revel the reason for his first-quarter benching. “It ain’t nothing. We’re just focused on the [Atlanta] Falcons [New England’s Week 9 opponent] … Let’s focus on the Falcons.”

Barmore, who made a surprisingly quick exit from the locker room after New England’s Week 8 victory, declined to speak with reporters. Shortly thereafter, Vrabel provided some insight as to why the was left on the sideline at the start of the team’s first home game since Sept. 28.

“I had to make a decision,” Vrabel said from his postgame podium. “My job is to protect the team, so when there's actions that I don't feel like are commensurate [or, in-line] with what we want to do here, I've got to make a decision, and we move on.”

Barmore’s benching surprised both fans and media alike. The Alabama product was not listed on the Patriots injury report and had played 65 percent of the defensive snaps through the first seven games of the season.

When he was finally inserted into the lineup in the second quarter, Barmore resumed his place as a force within the team’s defensive front seven. He finished the Week 8 win with one tackle and helped force an intentional grounding in the end zone that led to a late-fourth quarter safety. Barmore’s tackle against the Browns brought his season-long total to 12, along with two tackles-for-loss and four quarterback hits.

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