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By Mark Daniels, @MarkDanielsPJ
Posted
May 11, 2019 at 6:28 PM
Updated
May 11, 2019 at 6:28 PM
FOXBORO
— Rex Burkhead isn’t sure if he’s found his true center. He doesn’t know if child’s
pose, downward-facing dog or the happy-baby poses are truly making a
difference.
Of
course, the Patriots running back hopes they are.
Burkhead
has shown the ability to impact the Patriots offense during his first two
seasons in Foxboro. When he’s on the field, good things usually follow. The
biggest problem, however, has been that he hasn’t always been on the field.
In
two seasons, Burkhead has played in 18 of a possible 32 regular-season games.
After only playing half the season in 2018, this 28-year-old hopes to find a
happy medium between getting in playing shape and better preparing his body for
the rigors of the upcoming NFL season. That’s where yoga and Pilates come in.
“I do a little bit to mix it up. To
always keep the body guessing. Make sure your flexibility’s on point because I
feel like that helps prevent injuries,” Burkhead said this week. “I’ve done
(yoga) in the past, but I think I’ve gotten more into it. It’s something I’ve
taken from guys, guys I’ve looked to as mentors as well that said it’s helped
them out a lot as their career has gone on or even some retired guys saying,
‘This is what I did, and it felt like it did help.’
“Even
if it really doesn’t, it’s kind of a mental thing as well. I figure, why not?”
During
his first four seasons in the NFL, Burkhead was used more on special teams in
Cincinnati. When he signed with the Patriots in 2017, he could do lots more
than that. That season, Burkhead showed the type of versatility that’s rare for
a running back. He can run between the tackles and average more than 4 yards
per carry. He can also catch passes out of the backfield and take advantage of
mismatches with linebackers.
In
2017, Burkhead finished with a career-high eight total touchdowns (5 rushing, 3
receiving). That season, however, Burkhead dealt with a rib injury in September
and October. Later, in December and January, he missed more time with a knee
injury. Overall, Burkhead played in 10 regular-season games and finished with
264 rushing yards to go with 254 receiving yards.
Last
season was similar, but not in a good way. Burkhead found himself on the
injured reserve by Week 4 with a neck injury. He made his return in Week 13. In
eight games, he ran for 186 yards and finished with 131 receiving yards. He
scored just one touchdown in the regular season.
“You
learn from your experiences from the past,” Burkhead said. “Also with some of
the older guys like Matthew Slater, who’s been in for a while now and how he
really takes care of his body. There are things — I remember my rookie year, I
think I took like one week off, and I was right back in it, hardcore lifting
right after the season. You learn that’s kind of not the best way to go about
it. Your body takes some time to recover mentally, physically, and there’s some
little things you can pick up on, too.
“Whether that’s yoga or Pilates, things
like that to make sure your body is in the best shape possible. When you make
it far, you really have to stay on top of that. Especially here, you understand
your body is your temple and your line of work.”
Burkhead
finished the season on a high note. He played well in the playoffs, finishing
with 3 touchdowns, 96 rushing yards and 45 receiving yards.
After
the Patriots drafted running back Damien Harris in the third-round, Burkhead
knows there will be more competition come training camp. That means he’ll need
to stay healthy. That’s why he’s pacing himself this offseason.
“Things
like that — understanding you can’t go a million miles per hour every single
day or else injuries could pop up,” Burkhead said. “Just understanding how to
take care of your body, getting advice from some of the older guys as well as
some of the strength coach and trainers. They do a great job relaying that
information from us. Just really picking up whatever you can to make sure
you’re on top of your game.”
