New England Patriots rookie wide receiver Javon Baker commented on being inactive for the team’s Week 1 matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals last Sunday.
Per coach Jerod Mayo, Baker needs to continue developing both on and off the field before he gets an opportunity to play in games.
This stems from an off-field incident with Baker receiving a ticket from a police officer. Baker then went live on social media and called out all police officers in Massachusetts in an angry rant. He later indicated that he did not regret what he said in the video, even after being punished by the team.
Baker appears to be taking a more measured approach to things now. He had a four-word response when asked about being inactive for Week 1.
“Motivates me a lot,” said Baker, via A to Z Sports’ Sophie Weller.
When asked if he believed his social media incident was the reason for him being inactive, Baker kept it simple with his follow-up response.
“I don’t know,” he told A to Z Sports. “You got to talk to Coach Mayo on that one. I don’t know. I’m just playing my role. Doing what I got to do.”
Baker has the athleticism and potential to be an impact playmaker at the wide receiver position. As long as he takes care of things off the field, he should be able to make a sizable impact on it.