Brandon Spikes requires knee surgery after season

Maybe the Patriots best linebacker left, Brandon Spikes, has been dealing with a knee injury for a good part of the year.

He hasn't missed a single game though, and has almost certainly been one of the MVPs of that Patriots defense, as they've struggled with so many key players going down due to injury.

A wonderful column by the Globe's Shalise Manza Young today reveals that it's taken a whole lot for Spikes to stay on the field every game, for the first time in his whole career. The knee that is bothering Spikes will require surgery after the season.

BostonGlobe.com:

This year, he’s taken things a step further. Spikes will play in all 16 games despite a knee ligament injury that has limited him in practice for about two months (a league source said Spikes will require surgery when the season ends).

Spike doesn't make any excuses, saying that everyone in the league is dealing with injuries at this time of the season. Certainly, Spikes is not the only player on the Patriots - let alone the NFL - that is dealing with something that will need surgery after the season. It's definitely significant to note though, not only as evidence of Spikes' selfless attitude but also his toughness.

This could Spikes' last season with the Patriots, as his rookie contract expires after the season. This year hasn't been as good as his last, when he forced four fumbles, but it's certainly proved he's worthy of the Patriot signing him back.

Spikes is a force in run defense, however. ProFootballFocus.com has Spikes graded as its sixth-best middle/inside linebacker this season, and the best at his position when it comes to stopping the run: His grade for the season of plus-13.2 against the run is nearly six points better than the Panthers’ Luke Kuechly, whose plus-7.5 ranks second.

Here's to hoping Spikes is a Patriot for many years to come.