New England Patriots star defensive tackle Christian Barmore will be absent for an unknown amount of time after his team announced he was treated for blood clots.

The news came as a shock on Barmore's 25th birthday and just months following a contract extension with the Patriots.

'Had this gone untreated, it could’ve been the worst for Christian Barmore.'

The team posted the surprise news on X Sunday evening, revealing that Barmore had visited a Boston-area hospital: "Over the weekend, Christian Barmore was diagnosed with blood clots. He was appropriately treated by the doctors at Mass General Brigham, who tested, evaluated and treated Christian. Our principal concern at this time is Christian's health and well-being. Fortunately, Mass General Brigham provides some of the best healthcare in the world."

"While there is no current timetable for his return, we know Christian is getting tremendous care and we look forward to his full recovery," the team added.

Barmore posted to Instagram that same evening and wrote, "Thank you everyone for all the support, thoughts, and prayers. I'll be back soon."

Barmore's agent, Nicole Lynn, thanked the Patriots' athletic trainer, Jim Whalen, for "his absolute diligence and care over the last couple of days," ESPN reported.

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport said Sunday that Barmore had a bruise on the back of his calf and "kind of thought it was nothing," but Whalen insisted on having it looked at anyway.

"Had this gone untreated, it could’ve been the worst for Christian Barmore," Rapoport added.

New England drafted Barmore in the second round in 2021 and has played there his whole career.

The news comes as a huge blow to the team after the 6'5" player led the team with 8.5 sacks in 2023. He was set to be a starter this season as well.

Barmore was rewarded with a huge contract extension in April 2024 worth $83 million with an $18 million signing bonus. He is set to earn an average of $20.75 million per season starting in 2025 with over $31 million in guaranteed money.

Barmore also led the NFL in passes batted down at the line of scrimmage in 2023.

The defensive player posted a thank you message on his birthday the morning the team announced his health issue, giving his fans an opportunity to wish him luck in his recovery.

"We love you B […] Prayers on a full recovery we will miss your absence. You're our Superman. GO PATS," one Patriots fan wrote.

The 2024 NFL regular season starts Sept. 4. The Patriots’ first game is Sept. 8 against the Cincinnati Bengals.

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