Andy Borregales, the New England Patriots’ second-year kicker, is heading into the 2026 season opener rocking a brand-new jersey, and it’s a number that got a ton of attention last year: the iconic No. 8. With less than a week until kickoff, this move isn’t just a simple swap; it’s a full-circle moment for Borregales, who’s bringing that number back from his childhood.
From Childhood Dream to NFL Gridiron
That No. 8 jersey was a huge deal for the Patriots in 2025, primarily because it was worn by their leading wide receiver, Stefon Diggs. But when Diggs was cut in March and joined the Washington Commanders, the number lay vacant. For Borregales, that was his moment. “It was the first number I ever wore when I started playing football at five years old,” Borregales told reporters. He waited, hoping it would stay open, and when it did, he jumped on it. He rocked No. 8 all the way until middle school before picking up his older brother José’s No. 30, and then found himself kicking in the 30s through college at Miami and into his rookie NFL season, where he wore No. 36. Borregales had nothing but respect for Diggs, saying, “I had a great relationship with him. I hope he’s doing good in Washington, and I do believe he’s going to be doing good. He was a great guy. He was a good locker room guy.” Now, at 23, Borregales is locked into his spot and ready to make No. 8 his own.
Bouncing Back and Ready to Kick
Borregales had a solid rookie year, hitting 31 of 38 field goal tries and nailing 60 of 62 extra points, so he was definitely in the thick of things for the Patriots. This summer saw a generally solid performance, even with a little wobble in the preseason opener against the Colts where he missed three kicks. But don’t sleep on this kid; he was perfect in the two exhibition games since. His coordinator, Jeremy Springer, isn’t worried one bit. “Oh, he’s ready to go. I don’t have any doubts in Andy not being ready to go,” Springer said, highlighting Borregales’ maturity and consistent approach. “He never gets too high or too low. I’ve seen that a million times here, whether it’s a good game, bad game, good practice, bad practice, he learns from it, he studies it and he comes back better the next day.”
With the 2026 season opener less than a week out, all eyes will be on Borregales to see if he can truly own that No. 8 and keep the Patriots’ special teams humming. No pressure, right?
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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