FOXBOROUGH — The Patriots released center David Andrews.
“David has been an integral part of the Patriots for the past decade, including the past eight years he was a captain of the team,” owner Robert Kraft said Thursday. “He was just not a leader in the locker room, but he was an outstanding individual in the community and very special.
“On a personal level, I was able to spend time with him, with David and his incredible wife Mackenzie, on a trip to the Holy Land, and really got to know them very well five or six years ago. He’s just a very special guy. It’s the hard part of this business when you have to release people.”
The move marks the end of an era for the 32-year-old Andrews, a longtime captain who had emerged as one of the team’s most reliable players and leaders over the past decade. After joining the Patriots as an undrafted rookie in 2015, Andrews developed a strong reputation for his team-first approach, tough-nosed style of play, and willingness to play through injuries.
The stalwart Andrews was one of three Patriots on the roster with a Super Bowl ring, along with linebacker Ja’Whaun Bentley and long snapper Joe Cardona. Andrews won two championships, playing 100 percent of New England’s offensive snaps during both postseason runs.
Following quarterback Tom Brady’s departure from the Patriots in 2020, Andrews played an important role in trying to maintain the organization’s culture.
“Every day, his performance on a daily basis is really exceptional,” former coach Bill Belichick said in 2023. “Attitude, effort, communication, energy, leadership of the younger players, leadership of his peers, communication, you name it. Look, like everybody who plays a lot of football, you get banged up, you’re going to deal with some stuff during the year.
“He’s shown a lot of physical toughness to play through [his ankle injury], a lot of mental toughness. He would never come out of practice for a play. We have to take him out to help manage some of the bumps and bruises that he has. But, this guy is a warrior.”
Once Belichick and the Patriots parted ways, Andrews once again served as a key piece under first-year coach Jerod Mayo last season. Even after he underwent season-ending shoulder surgery in October, Andrews kept a presence in the locker room.
But Andrews won’t survive another regime change.
New coach Mike Vrabel has decided to move on. Vrabel declined to specify whether the release was related to Andrews’s injury status.
“I want to thank him,” Vrabel said. “Having not played at this organization quite as long as he had, but being here, I want to thank him for that, for being here and carrying on a tradition that so many great players before him had.”
Andrews was under contract through the 2025 season. His release creates $4 million in dead money and frees up $2.7 million in salary-cap space. The Patriots have Ben Brown, who started 10 games last season, and Cole Strange, who started two, available at center.
It’s unclear what’s next for Andrews, who has contemplated retirement. In February, Andrews told the Globe he couldn’t envision himself playing elsewhere.
“I don’t see myself ever playing for another team,” he said. “You play as long as you can. Sometimes that’s your decision or the team’s decision. That’s part of it. It’s a business. It means a lot to me to be a part of this organization, this community. It’s not just about football for me.”
Nicole Yang can be reached at nicole.yang@globe.com. Follow her on X @nicolecyang.