Last November, running back Jonas Gray made a major splash in prime time, rushing for more than 200 yards against the Colts on a Sunday night.
But then he disappeared, after LeGarrette Blount re-joined the team. Gray became largely a bystander, with only 84 total rushing yards the rest of the regular season and playoffs. He was inactive for Super Bowl XLIX.
“I think any season that ends and didn’t end the way you wanted it to on a personal level is added motivation,” Gray said recently, via Mark Daniels of the Providence Journal. “I think I ended of the year well [with a Super Bowl], but personally I have a lot to improve.”
Gray’s season went off the rails when he overslept and missed a meeting only days after the Colts game.
“I enjoyed it,” Gray said of his unusual 2014 season. “It was [a roller-coaster ride]. I learned a lot. I take all the experiences in and become more of a seasoned veteran.”
Whether Gray gets a chance to demonstrate his skills as a seasoned veteran remains to be seen. With Blount back and Belichick content to not use Gray, Gray may continue to be MIA in 2015.
Then again, with Shane Vereen gone and Stevan Ridley possibly the next one out, Belichick may need Gray in 2015.