Matthew Judon has a simple reason for his failed contract negotiations with the New England Patriots.
According to the recently traded linebacker, the inability to come to the table for a face-to-face meeting is ultimately the reason why he was traded to the Atlanta Falcons.
Judon explained that neither side really knew where the other stood in contract negotiations.
“We never really sat down and came to the table,” Judon said in an interview with NBC Sports Boston. “I think that was the biggest point. They kind of didn’t know where I was at. We kind of didn’t know where they was at. It was just always through text messages and phone calls. We just never sat down and actually talked about it. I think that was the biggest disconnect.”
When pressed on asking the Patriots for a sit-down discussion, Judon claimed he sent messages to the team and asked personally, but nothing ever came to fruition.
“For sure, I asked and sent those messages through my agent, and I asked personally. But that ain’t kind of where we left off,” said Judon.
"We never sat down and came to the table… it was just always through text message or phone calls."
Matthew Judon reveals 'biggest disconnect' between himself and the Patriots pic.twitter.com/vmwiRhrybr
— NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSBoston) August 19, 2024
The Patriots have a side to tell as well, but this would be shocking and disappointing, if this is really how Judon’s time ended in New England.
One would think a player of his caliber would at least warrant a roundtable discussion on a possible extension. Of course, that’s assuming the team wanted to keep him.
It has been reported that they extended him an offer, but there is no word on what exactly he was offered or what he was looking for in a new deal. On one hand, he’s a four-time Pro Bowl pass-rusher, and on the other hand, he’s a 32-year-old defensive player coming off a season-ending injury. People will formulate their own opinions on the matter.
However, in the end, the price point was the impasse that ultimately led to Judon being shipped out of town.
