The New England Patriots may have been more eager to get rid of Matthew Judon than most fans would have thought.
The Patriots traded Judon to the Atlanta Falcons earlier this month for a meager trade package.
The deal came after a rather public contract dispute between Judon and New England’s front office.
On Friday, Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer appeared on 98.5 The Sports Hub in Boston where radio host Mike Felger asked him for a scoop on the Patriots. Breer shared some insights on New England’s crumbling relationship with Judon before the Pro Bowler was traded.
“Judon was not as well-liked by the coaches and front office people as you might have thought,” said Breer.
“That was really part of it at the end was that they were just sick of him. They felt like there was the public-facing Judon, and then there was Judon behind the scenes. And Judon behind the scenes has sort of become a little bit of an operator and his act had worn thin with the people inside the building.”
"There was a little bit more to the Judon trade than just the contract situation." @AlbertBreer gives insight into the Matthew Judon trade, and why in the end the Patriots were 'just sick of him.' pic.twitter.com/UBX1BAA0eI
— NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSBoston) August 23, 2024
Breer added that the Baltimore Ravens, Judon’s former team, also had a similar “issue” with the defensive end.
Judon dealt with a biceps injury last season that limited him to just four games played. He still averaged a sack per game and tallied 13 combined tackles in those four appearances.
The 32-year-old was a standout performer for the Patriots in the two seasons prior. He played in every regular season game and finished top-7 in the NFL in sacks for both the 2021 and 2022 campaigns.
It’s no surprise the Falcons were willing to take the risk with Judon, who seems to be giving his new team a much easier time when it comes to his contract situation.
