Kyle Dugger

Kyle Dugger was re-signed by the New England Patriots as a transition player on April 9, 2024 ... Originally drafted by Patriots in the second round (37th overall) of the 2020 NFL Draft.

CAREER TRANSACTIONS

Kyle Dugger was re-signed by the New England Patriots as a transition player on April 9, 2024 ... Originally drafted by Patriots in the second round (37th overall) of the 2020 NFL Draft.

Seasonal reviews

2024 (13/13)

• Named a team captain for the first time in his career.
• Forced a fumble at the 1-yard line after a catch by TE Tanner Hudson, which was recovered by CB Marcus Jones and returned to the NE 17 that led to a K Joey Slye field goal and a 10-0 lead at Cincinnati (9/8), adding 1 pass defensed and playing 100% of the snaps on defense along with LB Ja'Whaun Bentley, CB Christian Gonzalez and S Jabrill Peppers.
• Led the team with 8 tackles vs. Seattle (9/15), recording a sack for a four-yard loss. Stopped RB Zach Charbonnet for a 1-yard loss on a fourth-and-one rushing attempt in the third quarter.
• Left in the first half with an injury at San Francisco (9/29) and did not return.
• Inactive vs. Miami (10/6) due to injury.
• Returned to the starting lineup vs. Houston (10/13) after missing one game due to injury.
• Had his fifth-career game with 10 or more tackles after finishing with 11 total tackles at Jacksonville (10/20). The 11 tackles are the third-most in his career.
• Inactive vs. the New York Jets (10/27), at Tennessee (11/3) and at Chicago (11/10) due to injury.
• Returned to the starting lineup vs. the L.A. Rams (11/17) after missing 3 consecutive games due to injury.
• Led the team with 10 total tackles at Arizona (12/15), the sixth 10-tackle game of his career and second of the 2024 season.

2023 (17/17)

• Started in all 17 games at safety. Collected 107 tackles (70 solo, 37 assists), 11/2 sacks for a loss of 9.5 yards, 2 interceptions, 6 tackles for loss, 7 passes defensed, 1 forced fumble, 5 quarterback hits and 2 special teams tackles.
• Had a critical fumble recovery in the third quarter vs. Miami (9/17) on a blocked field goal by DB Brenden Schooler.
• Collected 7 tackles (5 solo, 2 assists), 1 tackle for loss and 1 pass defensed at the N.Y. Jets (9/24) as the starting safety. Had a key fourth-down tackle late in the fourth quarter and his pass defense sealed the 15-10 win for New England.
• Registered a career-high 15 total tackles at Dallas (10/1), the highest tackle output by a Patriots player since LB Ja'Whaun Bentley had 17 total tackles on Jan. 9, 2022 at Miami.
• Had an interception on a Tua Tagovailoa pass in the first quarter at Miami (10/29) to give the Patriots a first down at the Miami 30-yard line. The turnover set up the Patriots first touchdown three plays later when QB Mac Jones connected with WR Kendrick Bourne for a 24-yard touchdown. Dugger sacked Tagovailoa for a 6-yard loss in the second quarter for his second career sack.
• Picked off QB Sam Howell (11/5) in the end zone on a pass from the 5-yard line with 23 seconds to play to prevent a score and allow the Patriots a 14-10 halftime advantage vs. Washington (11/5).
• Combined with DL Christian Barmore, bringing QB Mitchell Trubisky down for a sack on a 3rd-and-7 situation in the third quarter at Pittsburgh (12/7), forcing the Steelers to punt.
• Collected 10 tackles at Buffalo (12/31), giving him his third 10-tackle game of 2023.

2022 (15/15)

• Played in 15 games with 15 starts and recorded 69 total tackles (46 solo, 23 assists). Also recorded three interceptions, two of which he returned for touchdowns, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery for a touchdown, one sack, nine special teams tackles and one kickoff return for 37 yards.
• Served as one of the starting safeties.
• Was inactive due to injury vs. Baltimore (9/25) and at N.Y. Jets (10/30).
• Became the first New England player since 1970 with three defensive touchdowns in a single season. He had a 59-yard fumble returned for a touchdown vs. Detroit (10/9), a 16-yard interception returned for a touchdown at Las Vegas (12/18) and a 39-yard interception returned for a touchdown vs. Miami on (1/1).
• Played a major role in four of New England's NFL-best and team-best seven defensive touchdowns in 2022. In addition to his three touchdowns, Dugger forced a fumble that LB Raekwon McMillan returned 23 yards for a touchdown in the third quarter at Arizona (12/12).
• Was named AFC Defensive Player of the Week for his performance vs. Miami (1/1).
• Returned a kickoff for 37 yards in the second quarter at Pittsburgh (9/18). It was his first kickoff return since his rookie season in 2020.
• Part of the defensive unit that pitched a shutout vs. Detroit (10/9) in a 29-0 win. The Lions entered the game with the top-ranked offense in the NFL. Recovered a fumble that was forced on a 13-yard sack by LB Matthew Judon and returned the ball 59 yards for a touchdown in the second quarter. It is the fourth-longest fumble return in team history.
• Led the team in tackles with eight total (6 solo, 1 assist) at Cleveland (10/16). Made his first interception of the season, on the opening drive of the game.
• Registered his first career sack when he dropped Jets QB Zach Wilson for a 8-yard loss in the fourth quarter vs. N.Y. Jets (11/20).
• Forced a fumble at Arizona (12/12) after a reception by WR DeAndre Hopkins and LB Raekwon McMillan returned the ball 23 yards for a touchdown in the third quarter.
• Picked off a QB Derek Carr pass in the third quarter at Las Vegas (12/18) and returned it 13 yards for his second touchdown of the season.
• Recorded five total tackles (3 solo, 2 assists) vs Miami (1/1) Scored his third touchdown of the season after returning a third quarter interception 39 yards for a touchdown.

2021 (15/13, 1/1)

• Played in 15 regular season games with 13 starts and finished with 84 tackles, four interceptions, five passes defensed, one fumble recovery and eight special teams tackles.
• Started nine games as a defensive back in the nickel defense and four games at safety.
• Missed the game at Buffalo (12/6) due to being on the COVID-19 list and the game at Miami (1/9) due to injury.
• Started in his first playoff game in the Wild Card Round loss at Buffalo (1/15) and had four total tackles.
• Tallied a team-high 10 combined tackles as a starter in the nickel package at Houston (10/10).
• Registered his first career interception vs. Dallas (10/17) when he picked off QB Dak Prescott in the end zone in the second quarter off a deflected pass by DB Justin Bethel. Dugger returned the pick 29 yards to the New England 25-yard line. He recorded eight tackles on the day.
• Recorded an interception for the second straight game when he intercepted a QB Mike White pass in the third quarter vs. N.Y. Jets (10/24). Also tallied a team-high eight tackles and one special teams tackle on the day.
• Posted a team-high six total tackles as a starter at L.A. Chargers (10/31). Stepped up on special teams as well due to injuries to LB Brandon King and LB Harvey Langi.
• Picked off his third pass of the season vs. Cleveland (11/14) when he caught a QB Baker Mayfield pass in the second quarter and returned it 37-yards to the Cleveland 5-yard line to set up a 5-yard touchdown run by RB Rhamondre Stevenson on the very next play. Also had two special teams tackles on the day.
• Recorded a team-high six solo tackles at Atlanta (11/18), with one pass defensed and one special teams tackle as well. Played a major role in limiting Falcons TE Kyle Pitts to just three receptions for 29 yards.
• Combined for eight tackles and one special teams tackle vs. Tennessee (11/28). Recovered a fumble in the second quarter forced by DL Davon Godchaux.
• Placed on the Reserve/COVID-19 list on Dec. 1 and activated from Reserve/COVID-19 list on Dec. 14.
• Registered an interception vs. Jacksonville (1/2) and recorded a 20-yard return to the 1-yard line to set up a Patriots touchdown.
• Inactive at Miami (1/9) due to injury.

2020 (14/7)

• Played in 14 games with seven starts in nickel defense and registered 59 tackles, one pass defensed and five special teams tackles. Also returned two kickoffs for 47 yards.
• Was inactive vs. San Francisco (10/25) and at Buffalo (11/1) due to injury.
• Made his NFL debut, appearing as a reserve at safety and on special teams, in the season-opening win over Miami (9/13).
• Appeared as a reserve at safety and made five tackles at Seattle (9/20). Also returned his first NFL kickoff 30 yards.
• Made his first NFL start when the Patriots opened in nickel defense in the win vs. Baltimore (11/15). Led the team with 12 tackles.
• Started for the third straight week vs. Arizona (11/29) and made four tackles. Played a key role in limiting Arizona to 298 net yards. Arizona entered the game with the NFL's top-ranked offense, averaging 414.3-yards per game.
• Started at safety and made four tackles, one pass defensed and one special teams tackle at Miami (12/22).

College

• Appeared in 42 games during his career at Lenoir-Rhyne and totaled 237 tackles, 10 interceptions, 36 passes defensed, six forced fumbles and six fumble recoveries.
• Also returned 67 punts for a school-record 929 yards and six touchdowns.
• Despite playing in just seven games due to injury as a senior in 2019, Dugger was impactful enough to win the Cliff Harris Award, given to the best defensive player in NCAA Division II. Was also named a D2Football.com First Team All-American while the AFCA and D2CCA awarded him Second Team All-American honors.
• Became the only player in Lenoir-Rhyne history to have two games with punt returns for touchdowns.
• Was named First Team All-South Atlantic Conference at both defensive back and return specialist as a junior in 2018.
• Named to the Second Team All-Conference as a redshirt sophomore in 2017.
• Earned a medical redshirt in 2016.
• Started 10 games as a redshirt freshman in 2015 and led the team with six passes defensed, four interceptions and two fumble recoveries. Was named South Atlantic Conference Defensive Freshman of the Year.

Personal

• Attended Whitewater High School (Ga.), where he lettered for two years in both football and basketball.
• Recorded 80 tackles, three interceptions and five passes defensed as a senior. Earned First-Team All-County in football and All-County Honorable Mention honors in basketball.