It’s a new team and the same color for former New England Patriots linebacker Matthew Judon.
The four-time Pro Bowler made his first public appearance since being traded to the Atlanta Falcons on Wednesday. He was seen on the sidelines in Baltimore chatting up some of the players ahead of Saturday’s preseason game between the Falcons and Baltimore Ravens.
It was a homecoming of sorts for Judon, who was drafted to Baltimore in 2016. The moment also highlighted his new reality with his third NFL team. After three seasons with the Patriots, the man with the red sleeves will embark on the next chapter in his football journey.
And apparently, he’s keeping the red sleeves intact.
Newest Dirty Bird, Matthew Judon 👀@atlantafalcons | @man_dammn
📱: Stream #ATLvsBAL at 12pm ET on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/xSRQ6wSo8H
— NFL (@NFL) August 17, 2024
No team ever gets better after losing an impact player like Judon. However, the Patriots have the pieces to still be successful on defense without him.
Second-year outside linebacker Keion White could be on the verge of a breakout year, and Anfernee Jennings, who stepped up when Judon went down with a season-ending injury last year, is back in the fold. The team also has Joshua Uche and Oshane Ximines to help fill the void.
New England prepared well for this moment.
