New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick was pleased with the way rookie corner Alex Austin played on Sunday.
Austin found out he was playing just before kickoff against the Kansas City Chiefs. He played every snap and made three tackles. The rookie Oregon State product was a seventh-round draft selection by the Buffalo Bills.
He took the place of J. C. Jackson, who was reportedly unavailable for the game due to mental health issues, per his agent Neil Schwartz, via ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The emergence of Austin could be a positive development, with Jackson’s availability fluctuating over the past couple of months.
Bill Belichick said he thought Alex Austin "played competitively" yesterday.
Austin, a seventh-round rookie, said he found out just before kickoff that he'd be starting in place of J.C. Jackson. Wound up playing every defensive snap.
— Zack Cox (@ZackCoxNESN) December 18, 2023
It will be interesting to see if Austin can continue to perform well enough to possibly stick on the Patriots’ roster.
