New England Patriots
Craig Woodson started 15 games and led all players on the Patriots’ defense with 950 total snaps in 2025.
Craig Woodson was a key cog on New England’s defense in 2025. Danielle Parhizkaran/The Boston Globe
March 17, 2026 | 6:34 PM
1 minute to read
Patriots safety Craig Woodson made an immediate impact for New England in 2025, going from a fourth-round pick to one of the stalwarts of the Patriots’ secondary en route to a Super Bowl appearance.
For his efforts, the 25-year-old defensive back is getting a nice pay bump.
The NFL revealed its 2025 performance-based payouts — designed to dole out extra bonuses to underpaid players who earned sizable snaps over the course of an NFL campaign — on Monday.
Woodson netted the tenth-highest pay distribution in the NFL, taking home an additional $1,149,910 on top of his $840,000 base salary and other incentivized bonuses.
Along with starting 15 total games for New England during regular-season action, Woodson led all players on the Patriots’ defense with 950 total snaps in 2025.
Thrust into a featured role in New England’s secondary following the eventual exits of both Jabrill Peppers and Kyle Dugger, Woodson made the most of his opportunity. He closed out his rookie year with 79 tackles (four for a loss), three pass breakups, and two fumble recoveries.
The former Cal standout also played his best football during the postseason for New England.
Over four playoff games, Woodson recorded 30 tackles, four tackles for loss, one interception, one fumble recovery, and six pass breakups. He was one of the bright spots for New England during Super Bowl LX against Seattle, leading New England with 10 tackles, including three for a loss.
Woodson is expected to be a key cog on New England’s defense again in 2026, with the second-year pro set to start alongside First Team All-Pro safety Kevin Byard.
“He played his behind off in the Super Bowl,” Byard said of Woodson and New England’s secondary last Thursday. “So I’m excited to play with him and try to give him as much as I can as far as knowledge of the game. Like I said, just do what I can to try to help this team and defense. Hopefully I’m that final piece to make this the top secondary in the league.”
Conor Ryan is a staff writer covering the Bruins, Celtics, Patriots, and Red Sox for Boston.com, a role he has held since 2023.
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