For the past eight months, Antonio Brown hasn’t exactly been an anonymous presence in the locker room. He forced his way out of the Steelers and spent a drama-filled summer with the Raiders before a much-publicized release.
Now that the All-Pro receiver has landed with the Patriots, there’s predictably been questions as to whether The Patriot Way would work with a player like Antonio Brown.
You can count head coach Bill Belichick as someone who isn’t concerned about a possible disruption.
Speaking to reporters on Monday, Belichick waited little time to shut down those questions by drawing a comparison with Randy Moss’ move to the Patriots in 2007 after a mediocre season in Oakland.
In prototypical Belichick fashion, the Patriots head coach said:
“That’s the same thing you said about Randy Moss when we brought him in, so…”
When the reporter (Tom Curran) asked if Belichick meant him specifically, Belichick clarified that he meant the media “collectively.”
After all, if Belichick was that concerned, the Patriots wouldn’t have offered Brown a contract with $10 million guaranteed at signing and a $20 million team option for 2020. They’re clearly confident that this will work out for both parties.
