FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Baltimore Ravens running back J.K. Dobbins is expected to play at the New England Patriots on Sunday, a source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter, which would mark Dobbins’ first game in 20 months.
Dobbins tore his ACL, LCL, meniscus and hamstring in his left leg in last year’s preseason finale. He hasn’t played in a game that counted since January 2021.
It’s been a long road to recovery for Dobbins, who was activated off the physically unable to perform list on Aug. 8. He has fully participated in practice the last two weeks.
“It’s time,” one source told Schefter.
The Ravens usually dominant run game has struggled this season with Kenyan Drake and Mike Davis. Baltimore’s running backs have totaled 79 yards rushing, the fewest for any running back group this year.
Asked what it would take for Dobbins to play, Ravens coach John Harbaugh said Friday, “We got certain parameters that we’re looking at. It’s not going to be too long.”
Dobbins, 23, was electric as a rookie after being a second-round pick in 2020. He showed explosiveness by running for 805 yards (an average of 6 yards per carry) and scoring nine touchdowns.
The Ravens expected Dobbins to become their No. 1 back last season before he suffered a season-ending knee injury in last year’s finale. As a result, Harbaugh held most of his starters out of this year’s preseason.
Last week, Dobbins acknowledged it’s been “super hard” to be patient while his knee healed and said he’s extremely motivated to prove the doubters on social media wrong.
“If I only had that [a straight ACL tear], I would be back in seven months because of my work ethic and my God-given abilities and what he has blessed me with — to heal superfast,” Dobbins said. “All the stuff I had is more difficult, but nothing I can’t overcome.”
Dobbins scoffed when asked if the last mental hurdle is taking his first hit since getting injured.
“Nah, the thing I want to prove mentally [is] when I run for 100 yards against somebody,” he said with a smile.