Patriots cornerback Marcellas Dial can’t wait for training camp after missing last season because of torn ACL

FOXBOROUGH — It’s a safe bet no one is looking forward to the start of Patriots training camp more than Marcellas Dial.

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The cornerback and special teamer went down last summer with a torn ACL in his left knee, an injury that landed him on season-ending injured reserve. He had to watch as his teammates reached the Super Bowl.

Now, the 6-foot, 190-pounder is ready to return. He’s been limited during the OTA sessions that have been open to the media but anticipates being a full go when training camp begins next month.

“I’m stoked about coming back,” the 25-year-old said Friday. “I’m in high spirits, ready and eager to get back out there. I’m confident in my knee, and I’m just going to go out there and prove myself.”

Dial, a sixth-round pick of the Patriots in 2024, finished his rookie year with seven special teams tackles and five tackles on defense in 17 games. A core special teamer, he’s also looking to make an impact on defense in 2026.

“I’m really ready to fly around and play fast and make the most of every opportunity that comes my way,” he said. “I’m not even thinking about the knee anymore. I’m just eager to get back out there and earn a role.”

Time on the sideline can be a challenge for any athlete, but Dial acknowledges that his injury provided a different perspective on the game, one that he believes will ultimately play in his favor.

“I definitely learned that I’m stronger than I thought I was,” he said. “Getting something taken away from you that you’ve been doing your life can be devastating, but I was able to overcome the adversity. I feel like it’s made me stronger. Really, it’s been a blessing in disguise, because not only was I able to grow in my knowledge of the game, but I got closer to my family.

“Really, the fact that the game was taken away from me gave me a different perspective. It can be gone in a snap. I have a different level of gratitude for football, one I really didn’t have before.”

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Dial is set to give back this weekend with the “Dialed In” football camp set for Saturday morning at Bishop Hendricken High in Warwick, R.I. For kids 9-16, it’s an extension of the camps Dial remembers going to when he was growing up in South Carolina, ones that were heavy on fun and the fundamentals.

“Kids can come out and have some fun. The camp is free,” he said. “There will be food and drinks and lots of stuff out there for everyone. No one will be going home empty-handed, I can tell you that.”

Kicker Andy Borregales, who isn’t facing any competition this spring, said he’s excited going into his second season.

“I mean, it flew by,” Borregales said of his rookie year, when he went 4 for 4 on field goal attempts of 50-plus yards. “Sometimes it felt so slow, but I look back and I’m like, ‘That flew by quick.’ ”

Borregales rebounded from an inconsistent start to finish strong. He was the AFC special teams player of the week in November after a career-high four field goals at Cincinnati, and delivered a 59-yard field goal in a January win over the Dolphins. He finished the season 27 for 32 on field goal attempts and set a franchise record for points in a season by a Patriots rookie.

“I learned a lot,” he said. “The biggest thing is really, don’t get too low, don’t get too high. Just stay neutral. You’re going to have big moments, you’re going to have [low] moments. At the end of the day, that’s all part of the game.

”Really, it‘s about trying to be better than the day before. Even though I may not be in a [positional] competition, I’m always in competition with myself … I always try to give myself a challenge to maintain that hunger mentality by striving to consistently get better.”

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