Armond Armstead was supposed to be a diamond in the rough, another good-value addition by the Patriots with loads of upside. He had the ability to play several different spots along the defensive line, and he would have provided a measure of depth that would have only improved a team that was already one of the AFC's best.
Instead, Armstead never took the field for the Patriots. He retired before the start of last season at just 23 years old.
"It has been a pleasure being around Armond, as he gave everything he could to play for us," Patriots coach Bill Belichick said in a statement. "Armond worked extremely hard since joining us last February. He's had a lot of adversity personally that he's had to deal with -- unusual compared to most other players -- but he's always had a great attitude, worked hard and really did everything we asked him to do. While it is unfortunate he will not be able to play football, Armond is an outstanding young man who has a very bright future in whatever path he chooses."
The circumstances surrounding Armstead's health at the time of his retirement had been kept private until recently.
The 6-foot-5, 300-pounder is set to go to trial, scheduled to begin on April 6, after filing a lawsuit against the University of Southern California. In the suit, Armstead alleges that fraud, concealment and negligence on the part of the school kept him from making a career out of playing football.
According to the Sacramento Bee, Armstead had a heart attack in May of 2011 before his senior season at USC, which he blames on the school's repeated prescription of the pain-killer Toradol. The university is arguing that Armstead's heart condition was congenital.
After going undrafted, Armstead played one season for the Toronto Argonauts before signing a contract with the Patriots in January of 2013.
New England Patriots
From the Sacramento Bee:
The contract had a condition that Armstead have surgery to repair a hole in his heart before he could play. He recovered in time for offseason workouts in April, but he had surgery to treat an undisclosed infection in July and didn’t play in 2013. The next year, he suffered another heart attack, according to documents filed in his lawsuit, and on July 16, 2014, the Patriots announced his medical retirement.
According to the Providence Journal, Patriots coach Bill Belichick and former Patriots defensive line coach (now linebackers coach) Patrick Graham are listed among the 68 witnesses who could testify on Armstead's behalf. Patriots team doctor Matthew Provencher, who assumed that position before the start of last season, was one of several Massachusetts General Hospital doctors who gave depositions to Armstead's attorneys, per the Journal.
Armstead's brother, Arik, a defensive lineman from the University of Oregon, is expected to be taken in the first round of this year's NFL Draft. The 6-foot-7, 292-pound prospect would not comment on his brother's health issues at the NFL Scouting Combine in February, but he did talk about how Armond helped inspire him early in his career.
"My brother not being able to play anymore, that's why I'm trying to carry on that torch," Arik said. "Going through recruiting in high school, I wanted to be like him. I really started playing football when I fell in love with the game early on when I was little. My brother, hearing his name, he was a big-time recruit in high school and I wanted to be just like him. I fell in love with football and he's been helping me ever since. He kind of paved the way for me."