Quintayvious Hutchins found out he officially made the New England Patriots’ 53-man roster by scrolling through an Instagram post, not with a phone call or a congratulatory message from the coaching staff. It’s wild, but that’s the truth for the rookie outside linebacker.
A Social Media Roster Cutdown? You’re Kidding Me!
You’d think after grinding through training camp and preseason, a guy would get some official word directly from the team. But that’s not how it works on cutdown day, apparently. See, only the players who are getting released are usually told their fate. The guys who make it? They just don’t get told to return their iPads, unlike 37 of their now-former teammates. For a first-year player like Hutchins, it had to be a total head-scratcher. He spent his entire five-year college career at Boston College, then put in all that work, only to learn his NFL dream was real via social media. He told the media at his new locker this week, “An Instagram post, when they posted the 53-man roster, that’s how I really found out. I saw the 53-man roster and was like, ‘Oh damn, I really made it.’” Talk about a surreal moment for the 23-year-old.
From Late-Round Pick to Roster Spot: He Earned It
Making this roster wasn’t a given for Hutchins. He was the 247th overall pick in this year’s draft, a late-round guy, and there was serious competition in the outside linebacker room. His spot was not guaranteed by any stretch. But the kid absolutely earned it. He had a rock-solid training camp, showing a steady uptick in quality reps along the Patriots’ defensive edge. And his preseason performance? Dude was everywhere. Against the Philadelphia Eagles, he registered eight tackles, a sack, and three special teams takedowns. That kind of grit and production makes it impossible to ignore. He’s one of only four outside linebackers on the team now, joining Dre’Mont Jones, Elijah Ponder, and fellow rookie Gabe Jacas. That’s a serious accomplishment for the late-round selection.
But don’t think for a second he’s kicking back. Hutchins is already looking ahead, and he’s got that dog mentality you love to see. He told reporters, “The job is not done. Continue to prove myself to earn a role on the team and just be dominant every chance I get. You have to come in, work, keep your head up, and keep going.” That’s the mindset of a guy who’s going to make an impact. The regular season is here, and you know he’s going to be fighting for every snap. Keep an eye on #45. He’s got something to prove.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Pats Pulpit.
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