TEAM NOTES
• Patriots score most points in a game since the 2021 season.
• CB Marcus Jones returns an 87-yard punt for a TD.
• Jones is second Patriots player with two returns of at least 60 yards in a single game.
• Jones sets team record for most punt return yards in a game.
• WR Stefon Diggs has 37th career 100-yard game.
• CB Christian Gonzalez returns to action.
• Ben Brown makes first career start at guard.
TEAM NOTES
PATRIOTS SCORE MOST POINTS SINCE THE 2021 SEASON
The Patriots scored 42 points in the win against Carolina, the most points since the 2021 season when the Patriots scored 50 points vs. Jacksonville on Jan. 2, 2022 in a 50-10 victory. It is the second game in 2025 with over 30 points scored. The Patriots won, 33-27, at Miami on Sept. 14.
PATRIOTS SCORED 28 POINTS IN THE FIRST HALF
The Patriots scored 28 points in the first half, the most since scoring 28 first half points vs. Jacksonville on Jan. 2, 2022 in the 50-10 victory.
PATRIOTS RETURN BOTH A KICK AND A PUNT FOR A TD IN THE SAME SEASON FOR FOURTH TIME
With Jones' 87-yard touchdown return and RB Antonio Gibson's 90-yard kickoff return for a touchdown at Miami on Sept. 14, it marks the fourth season that the Patriots have returned at least one punt and one kickoff for a touchdown in the same season. The Patriots have also returned both a punt and kick for a touchdown in 1980, 2010 and 2012.
INDIVIDUAL NOTES
JONES SETS TEAM RECORD FOR MOST PUNT RETURN YARDS IN A SINGLE GAME
Jones finished with 167 punt return yards, the most ever by a Patriots player in a single game. The previous franchise record was set 49 years ago by Pro Football Hall of Famer Mike Haynes (156 yards). Jones's previous best was 109 punt return yards vs. the New York Jets on Nov. 20, 2022.
Most Punt Return Yards in a Game/Patriots
- 167 Marcus Jones, vs. Carolina Panthers, Sept. 28, 2025
- 156 Mike Haynes, vs. Buffalo, Nov. 7, 1976
- 145 Gunner Olszewski, at LA Chargers, Dec. 6, 2020
JONES 87-YARD PUNT RETURN IS THIRD LONGEST IN TEAM HISTORY
CB Marcus Jones returned a first quarter punt 87-yards for a touchdown, the longest of his career and the third longest punt return in team history. It is his second career punt returned for a touchdown. He had an 84-yard punt returned for a touchdown as a rookie in 2022 vs. the New York Jets (11/20.22). It is the 18th punt returned for a touchdown in team history.
Longest Punt Return in Team History
| Player | Yards |
|---|---|
| Julian Edelman | 94-yard touchdown return vs. Miami (Jan. 2, 2011) |
| Mike Haynes | 89-yard touchdown return vs Buffalo (Nov. 7, 1976) |
| Marcus Jones | 87-yard touchdown vs. Carolina (Sept. 28, 2025) |
JONES SETS TEAM MARK FOR HIGHEST PUNT RETURN AVERAGE IN A GAME
Jones returned 3 punts for 167 yards for a 55.7-yard punt return average, the highest single game average in team history. It is second in NFL history to Indianapolis RB Nyheim Miller-Hines' 65.0 average.
Highest Punt Return Average in Game in Team History
| Player | Punt Return Average |
|---|---|
| Marcus Jones | 55.7 vs. Carolina (9/28/25) |
| Gunner Olszewski | 48.3 at L.A. Chargers (12/6/20) |
| Mike Haynes | 39.0 vs. Buffalo (11/7/76) |
Highest Punt Return Average in an NFL Game
Nyheim Miller-Hines: 65.0 vs. Carolina (12/19/22)
Marcus Jones: 55.7 vs. Carolina (9/28/25)
JONES HAS SECOND CAREER GAME WITH OVER 100 PUNT RETURN YARDS
Jones now has two games with at least 100 yards punt return yards with the 167 yards vs. Carolina and the 109 yards vs. the New York Jets in 2022. He joins Julian Edelman (2) and Troy Brown (3) as the only Patriots players with more than one game with over 100 punt return yards.
JONES IS FIFTH PATROTS PLAYER WITH AT LEAST TWO PUNT RETURNS FOR A TD
Jones is the fifth Patriots player with at least two punt returns for a touchdown, joining Julian Edelman (4), Troy Brown (3), Irving Fryar (3) and Mike Haynes (2).
JONES HAS THIRD AND FOURTH PUNT RETURN OF OVER 60 YARDS
Jones had his third punt return of over 60 yards with the 87-yard touchdown return and then added a 61 yard return for his fourth career 60-yard return to tie Julian Edelman for the most punt returns of at least 60 yards in team history. Jones previously had a 62-yard punt return vs. the New York Jets (10/27/24) and an 84-yard punt return for a touchdown vs. the Jets on (11/20/22).
Most 60-yard Punt Returns (Patriots since 1980)
| Player | 60-yard punt returns |
|---|---|
| Marcus Jones | 4 |
| Julian Edelman | 4 |
| Trow Brown | 3 |
| Irving Fryar | 2 |
| Gunner Olszewski | 2 |
JONES IS SECOND PATRIOTS PLAYER WITH TWO RTEURNS OF AT LEAST 60 YARDS IN SAME GAME
Jones joins WR Gunner Olszewski (61-yard return and 70-yard touchdown return at the L.A. Chargers 12/06/20) as the only Patriots with two punt returns of at least 60 yards in the same game. The other Patriots to accomplish the feat in a single season were Troy Brown (2001) and Irving Fryar (1985).
DIGGS HAS FIRST 100-YARD GAME AS A MEMBER OF THE PATRIOTS
WR Stefon Diggs had his first 100-yard receiving game as a member of the Patriots after finishing with 6 receptions for 101 yards. It is his 37th career 100-yard receiving game.
HENDERSON SCORES FIRST NFL TOUCHDOWN
Patriots 2025 second-round draft pick RB TreVeyon Henderson scored his first career touchdown on a 5-yard run in the second quarter to culminate an 8-play, 55-yard drive.
GIBBENS HAS CAREER HIGH IN SPECIAL TEAMS TACKLES
LB Jack Gibbens finished with a career-high 3 special teams tackles.
HENRY HAS THIRD CAREER TOUCHDOWN OF AT LEAST 30 YARDS
TE Hunter Henry scored on a 31-yard touchdown pass from QB Drake Maye in the third quarter, his third career touchdown pass of at least 30 yards. He had a 31-yard touchdown from QB Bailey Zappe at Cleveland (10/16/22) and a 37-yard touchdown reception from QB Mac Jones at Minnesota (11/24/22).
STEVENSON MOVES PAST COREY DILLON
RB Rhamondre Stevenson (3,191) entered the game in ninth place on the team's rushing list and his 38 rushing yards moved him past Corey Dillon (3,180) into eighth place on the all-time team rushing list. He needs 59 yards to move past John Stephens (3,249) into seventh place. He moved past Dillon on a 3-yard run in the second quarter.
Most Rushing Yards in Patriots History
| Player | Rushing Yards |
|---|---|
| Sam Cunningham | 5,453 |
| Jim Nance | 5,323 |
| Tony Collins | 4,647 |
| Curtis Martin | 3,799 |
| Kevin Faulk | 3,607 |
| Dan Calhoun | 3,391 |
| John Stephens | 3,249 |
| Rhamondre Stevenson | 3,191 |
| Corey Dillon | 3,180 |
MAYE HAS SECOND GAME WITH 3 TOUCHDOWNS IN 2025
QB Drake Maye threw 2 touchdowns and ran for a touchdown in the victory. It is his second game in 2025 with 3 touchdowns. He threw 2 touchdowns and ran for a touchdown at Miami on Sept. 14. Maye had 3 touchdown passes vs. Houston on Oct. 13, 2024.
SPILLANE HAS BACK-TO-BACK GAMES WITH 10 TACKLES
LB Robert Spillane finished with double-digit tackles for the second straight game after following a 15 tackle game vs. Pittsburgh with a 10-tackle game against Carolina. He is the first Patriots player with 10 plus tackles in consecutive games since LB Ja'Whaun Bentley had a streak of three-straight games with 10 or more tackles in in 2022 with 10 tackles at Arizona (12/12), 10 tackles at Las Vegas (12/18) and 11 tackles vs. Cincinnati (12/24). Spillane opened the 2024 season with a personal-best five straight 10-tackle games.
SCHOOLER FINISHES WITH 3 SPECIAL TEAMS TACKLES
Brenden Schooler finished with his third career 3 special teams tackle game. He also had 3 special teams tackles at Cincinnati (9/8/24) and vs. Washington (11/5/23).
LINEUP NOTES
• CB Christian Gonzalez returned to action after missing the first three games due to injury. He was in the starting lineup and finished with 3 total tackles.
• Ben Brown, who started 10 games for the Patriots in 2024 at center, started at left guard. The only time Brown has played at guard in the regular season was in his first NFL game vs. Carolina on Sept. 24, 2023, when he played for Seattle and saw action at left guard.
• LB Darius Harris and OL Brenden Jaimes made their debuts with the Patriots after being elevated from the practice squad on special teams. Harris finished with 2 total special teams tackles, and Jaimes played on the extra point attempts.
• T Vederian Lowe saw his first action on offense, entering the game as a tackle-eligible tight end on a goal line play in the third quarter and then at left tackle in the fourth quarter.
• Rookie T Marcus Bryant saw his first action on offense at right tackle in the fourth quarter.
• QB Joshua Dobbs played in his first game as a member of the Patriots in the fourth quarter,
