FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Life on the edge in the National Football League continues for JaMycal Hasty.
Stay in shape, play the waiting game and hope the phone rings.
So when the six-year National Football League veteran got the call from the New England Patriots a week ago, he was ready. Added along with Hassan Haskins when Terrell Jennings was lost to injury, Hasty was asked to compete for a spot on the 53-man roster.
A day later, the former 49er and Jaguar, who spent the 2025 season on the Miami Dolphins practice squad, was running the football in Thursday night’s preseason opener with the Indianapolis Colts.
Familiar with the offense
Hasty is no newbie when it comes to this process.
“Just offseason training, I was back home in Texas with family and friends, training, that’s pretty much it. Life was pretty simple,” said Hasty.
“It’s been cool coming back to familiar faces. This is my seventh year. It’s just coming in, being a pro, learning what I need to learn and going out and executing.”
Joe Maiorana-Imagn Images
Hasty spent training camp with the Patriots a year ago, immersing himself in Josh McDaniels’ offense. So the learning curve is not as fierce as it might have been.
More football left to play
At 29 years old, he’s looking to milk every ounce of football he can out of his body. And he’s not shy about fighting for it.
“Competition is a part of the league. You have some great guys in there. We’re all just feeding off each other, making sure we’re all learning, staying up to date,” he said of the running back room.
Battle lines are drawn
Hasty will be in direct competition for that No. 3 spot with rookie Jam Miller, Haskins and second-year free agent Lan Larison. He brings experience – his best year was in 2022 when he ran for 194 yards and 2 TDs and also caught 20 passes in Jacksonville – and the ability to adapt at 5-foot-8, 205 pounds.
He says that is his best attribute as a player.
“Being able to be versatile, being able to run, catch, protect, be available on special teams, just being a jack of all trades,” he said.
