Kendrick Bourne posts on social media after the Patriots were benched

Kendrick Bourne was technically active in Week 10, but that wasn’t an accurate description of the Patriots wide receiver at Soldier Field.

Although he wasn’t a healthy player against the Bears, like fellow wide receiver Tyquan Thornton, Bourne didn’t see the field for New England against Chicago. Patriots coaches wanted to prioritize opportunities for younger wideouts in the Windy City and alerted Bourne to his possible de facto benching.

However, the always positive pass catcher didn’t let any playing time dampen his spirits. Bourne beamed after New England defeated Caleb Williams and Co. by two touchdowns and even took to social media to celebrate his team’s third win of the season.

Bourne still found a way to stand out on Sunday despite not catching a pass. The 29-year-old earned praise from head coach Jerod Mayo for bringing his patented “energy and excitement” to the locker room on one of the best days of the Patriots season so far.

It remains to be seen whether Bourne will play an on-field role for New England on Sunday at the Los Angeles Rams. But no matter what the Patriots’ decision-makers have planned for the eighth-year pro, it’s safe to assume he’ll continue to be a great teammate.