March 28, 2026, 10:00 a.m. ET
Veteran linebacker Jack Gibbens opened up about his decision to leave the New England Patriots for the Arizona Cardinals in free agency.
The Patriots passed on tendering him as a restricted free agent, paving the way for him to sign with any team that he wanted as an unrestricted free agent. When asked if there was an opportunity for him to return to New England, Gibbens acknowledged that the option was on the table.
“Yeah, definitely. It will definitely be tough to leave there. It’s bittersweet,” Gibbens said on Sirius XM, via ESPN’s Mike Reiss. “I love that team. I love Coach Vrabel and his staff. We had an unforgettable year, for sure. It’s definitely a little sad leaving those guys but just felt like I had a great opportunity with an organization that is kind of trying to get things going in the right direction, similar to [where] New England was last year. So I’m excited to get out there and be part of the turnaround and getting back to where we just took the Patriots.”
Gibbens signed a one-year deal with the Cardinals, effectively ending his one-year tenure in New England. He played a key role on the Patriots’ defense, recording 81 tackles, a sack, and a forced fumble. The linebacker saw his role increase later in the season, as veteran Robert Spillane battled injuries.
Along with Gibbens leaving in free agency, the Patriots also released veteran Jahlani Tavai. So they’ve got some work to do in refilling that position through the 2026 NFL Draft. It would not be a surprise to see the team use one of its top picks on a young linebacker.
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Gibbens was a solid rotational player and spot-starter for the team. He will now shift his focus to trying to help the struggling Cardinals get back on the winning track. Meanwhile, the Patriots will move forward with Spillane and Christian Elliss still as their top linebackers.
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