Patriots safety Adrian Phillips avoids major injury, practices Tuesday

If Adrian Phillips’s media appearance on Tuesday is any indication, the Patriots’ safety looks like he’ll be just fine after his injury scare back in Week 13.

Phillips left New England’s primetime victory over the Buffalo Bills with a scary-looking knee injury but seemed to reassure fans with a post-game tweet. Then, he appeared before the media Tuesday morning — something only “healthy” players typically do — and at Tuesday’s afternoon practice, though his participation level won’t be known until later.

The veteran safety, who was in good spirits Tuesday, offered an update on his health, essentially calling himself “day-to-day” ahead of Saturday’s game against the Indianapolis Colts.

“Everything checked out pretty well,” he said of the tests on his injured knee. “At the time, I was like, ‘Oh crap.’ I didn’t want to get hurt or anything like that. You don’t know how severe the injury is or whatever it may be. But just taking it day by day, and working with the training staff and going from there.”

Phillips admitted to being concerned about a significant injury at the time.

“Any time it’s something around the lower extremities, you’re a little more…not to say ‘panic,’ but you worry about it just a bit more.”

But he also downplayed the idea that his “THANK YOU GOD!!” tweet following the game was related to him getting good news about his knee.

“I do that after every game,” he explained. “If I’m able to theoretically walk off the field, or if the game goes on without having any type of serious injury –whatever it may be for both sides — I just always tweet that. That’s kind of my thing.”

That does technically check out, as Phillips was able to walk off the field after the injury (albeit with assistance) and does regularly tweet that message after games.

But whatever people may have read into his social media account, Phillips appears to be closer to playing in Saturday’s crucial contest against the Colts than not. That’s excellent news for a team that will need his skills to contain star running back Jonathan Taylor and maintain its place atop the AFC standings.

Running back Damien Harris, who left the Bills game with a hamstring injury, and safety Kyle Dugger, who missed the Patriots’ last game (COVID-19), were also present at Tuesday’s practice.