Rex Burkhead sounds optimistic note when it comes to getting back to game action

FOXBOROUGH — There have been plenty of occasions over the years where a stint on injured reserve has been a precursor to a player simply checking out on the season. But that wasn’t the case with veteran running back Rex Burkhead.

Burkhead, who sustained a neck injury in a Week 3 loss to the Lions, had a memorable conversation with Bill Belichick at the start of his stretch on injured reserve, one of the things that really caused him to stay plugged in, even though he was away from the field.

“(I) just worked my tail off. That was really it,” Burkhead said of his focus while he was sidelined.



“Just doing whatever I could. Control what I can control. I thought the trainers did a great job (and) the strength and conditioning coaches did a great job really just getting me back into shape and being ready to go whenever I was able to come back and start practicing.”

The 5-foot-10, 215-pounder also took some time to see the game from a different perspective, and it sounds like it helped.