Patriots reporter backtracks on locker room ‘mutiny’ claim
Aug 10, 2023; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; A New England Patriots helmet sits on the sideline during the first half against the Houston Texans at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports
A New England Patriots team reporter is trying to backtrack after suggesting that the team’s locker room is on the brink of mutiny over the state of the offense.
Evan Lazar, who writes and hosts a podcast for the Patriots’ official website, claimed in the “Patriots Catch-22” podcast posted Thursday that the locker room is “teetering on mutiny” over the decision to continue starting Jacoby Brissett ahead of Drake Maye at quarterback. Lazar suggested that there is growing frustration in the locker room that Maye is not getting the chance to prove himself ahead of Brissett.
Here’s Evan Lazar’s full statement on the locker room “teetering on mutiny” and it’s exactly what us “Start Drake Maye” people have been saying for weeks. pic.twitter.com/iiotX8Gs7t
— Kleaver Sports (@KleaverSports) October 3, 2024
This is a rather sharp statement from a reporter who is officially employed by the team, and garnered a great deal of attention as a result. Late Thursday, however, Lazar tried to back away from the statement. In an appearance on 98.5 The Sports Hub, Lazar said he “got a little carried away” on the podcast, and that the language he used was too strong.
Evan Lazar (@ezlazar) tells @JoeyMurr he “got a little carried away” with the locker room mutiny comments on a Patriots podcast earlier today. pic.twitter.com/l3ErOUsnuR
— 98.5 The Sports Hub (@985TheSportsHub) October 4, 2024
“I’ll fully admit I got a little carried away on the podcast,” Lazar said. “The word I used, mutiny — there’s no mutiny in the Patriots’ locker room. Like I said, I got carried away, and now it’s my bad.”
In addition to the public statement, Cody Benjamin of CBS Sports noted on Friday that the “mutiny” remark had been edited out of the version of the podcast that appears on the team’s website.
One has to wonder if Lazar did get a bit hyperbolic, or if the team quietly had a word with him about his claim. Either way, the team itself does not appear to be changing quarterbacks, at least for the moment.