Patriots Lose, But Calvin Munson's Roster Spot Won?

An eventful summer ended on a high note for Calvin Munson, whose highlight reel interception offered a bit of optimism in a listless New England Patriots preseason finale.

For players like Calvin Munson, nights like Friday stand as a personal AFC title game. No parade in Boston awaits, but he might have every reason for a proverbial Lombardi Trophy hoist once the 2023 New England Patriots' original 53-man roster emerges next week.

Munson has built a lasting, if not miles-racking, NFL career since entering the league as an undrafted free agent out of San Diego State. This summer was the start of the second season of his third term as a Patriot and his preseason play strongly hints it won't be the end.

The 28-year-old was far and away the Patriots' star attraction as starters sat out of what became a 23-7 loss to the Tennessee Titans in Friday's 2023 preseason finale. Munson kept busy to the tune of a game-best 10 tackles (1 for a loss) and perhaps made the play of the preseason, grabbing a Malik Willis misfire mere millimeters from play-killing turf. The interception in Tennessee territory led to New England's only points of the game, a five-yard run for Kevin Harris in the early stages of the second period.

Highlight of the game so far: Calvin Munson with an incredible INT. pic.twitter.com/d6AhrqiRIG

— Pats Buzz (@PatsBuzz) August 26, 2023

It was a play that drew friendly comparisons to Julian Edelman's famous grab that permanently placed momentum on the Patriots' side in the Super Bowl LI win over Atlanta, a stack-up that Munson found amusing in the postgame aftermath.

"That's a crazy comparison," Munson told the Boston Herald.

Thus ends an eventful summer for Munson, who ends the trio with 20 tackles. Getting back on track on the field was perhaps a strong way to get back into playing shape after he played an unfortunate, unintentional role in Isaiah Bolden's injury that ended last week's exhibition game in Green Bay (Bolden has since been released from a Green Bay hospital and remains in concussion protocol). 

A standout summer performance from Munson was hardly a surprise to Patriots head coach Bill Belichick, who broke out of his stoic postgame persona to say that the linebacker "definitely showed up on some positive plays" (h/t Alex Barth of WBZ-FM).

Now Munson is more or less forced to sit and wait while the New England staff makes its final decisions. His strong play aside, there's a practical purpose for his inclusion on the roster: New England (1-2) has a familiar asset in Munson with Raekwon McMillan due to miss the entire 2023 campaign due to injury. The Patriots could use any semblance of normalcy they can as they enter a season with mixed expectations.

In what he hopes are far from his final statements at the New England podium, Munson made to clear that he hopes his Foxborough tenure continues, even if he provided some solid game film for the team's 31 rivals.

"I love it (here). I love the way we work (and) get after it," Munson said, per Barth. "(There are) awesome leaders here. I want to find a role."

If Munson makes the Patriots' opening day roster, he'll join the team in welcoming in the defending Super Bowl finalist Philadelphia Eagles on Sept. 10 at Gillette Stadium (4:25 p.m. ET, CBS).

---

Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags

Follow Patriots Country on Twitter and Facebook

Want the latest in breaking news and insider information on the Patriots? Click Here

More Patriots coverage from Sports Illustrated here.