Patriots offensive lineman Cole Strange has had a long year, and it sounds like he earned some recognition for his efforts on Friday.
Head coach Jerod Mayo announced during his press conference that Strange was given the Ed Block Courage Award, which recognizes players like Strange, who battled a fair amount of adversity on his way back to the field.
“The Ed Block Courage Award. It’s given to a player on the team – all 32 teams – that display courage facing adversity, going through all that stuff, and returning to play,” said Mayo. “This year, it is Cole Strange. He won the Ed Block Courage Award.”
For Strange, it’s been a tough road as he’s worked his way back from a knee injury that dates back to last season. He initially suffered an injury last preseason, which, at the time, there were reports that it required surgery, yet he decided to play through it.
He was limited to start 2023 but finally came off the injury report in Week 8 ahead of their match-up against the Dolphins. He played nearly every snap from that point on, solidifying what had been pretty shaky offensive line to start the season.
However, he finally went down against the Kansas City Chiefs in December of last season with what turned out to be a torn patellar tendon.
That injury was difficult to watch, as the former first-round pick left the field on a cart during what ended up being a 27-17 loss at Gillette Stadium.
Strange admitted that not being able to play was hard, and it made him appreciate the game even more.
“It’s been a lot longer than I wanted it to be. Honestly, it’s been really tough and really aggravating,” Strange told reporters via Matt Geagan of WBZ News back in November. “It’s been a good perspective. I would never have wanted this to happen, but the sliver lining it it gave me a new perspective and I’m more appreciative of where I am. I feel really good going forward.
“I learned that I need football more than I thought I did,” he added. “Not having it, I didn’t like that at all.”
The surgery he endured was significant, reportedly leaving him in a cast that extended from just above his ankle up to his thigh and forced him to have to build his leg back up during what was a long rehabilitation process. It wasn’t easy, and there were even reports during the preseason that speculated whether or not he’d possibly make it back at all.
Fortunately, after coming back in Week 12, Strange was limited over that span but finally saw special teams snaps against Buffalo in Week 16. He started last Sunday’s game against the Chargers, playing 100% of the snaps. While it wasn’t perfect, he provided some necessary physicality and leadership inside to a group that’s been sorely in need of it.
For now, all of that effort has paid off and he joins teammates David Andrews and Jonathan Jones, who were both selected as co-recipients of the award last January.
The Ed Block Courage Award is named after Ed Block, a former head athletic trainer for the Baltimore Colts and a respected humanitarian dedicated to helping children.
The recipients are often players who have overcome significant injuries or tragedies in their personal lives while still getting back to the top of their game after returning to the field.
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Ian Logue is a Seacoast native and owner and senior writer for PatsFans.com, an independent media site covering the New England Patriots and has been running this site in one form or another since 1997.
