The Patriots apparently don’t like face-to-face meetings.
Matthew Judon claimed the lack of an in-person meeting and poor communication led to New England ultimately trading him to the Falcons last week rather than a potential contract extension.
The star linebacker told NBC Sports Boston that he and his agents asked for a direct meeting, but those requests were not granted before the Patriots traded him for a 2025 third-round pick.
“I don’t know. I feel like we just never sat down and really came to the table,” Judon said to the outlet. “I think that’s 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 kind of disconnect.”
Judon is entering the last year of his contract with a base salary of $6.5 million, and the 32-year-old hoped to sign an extension with New England before the season started.
While they may not have had a face-to-face conversation to get to the heart of the matter, the sides had conversations about a possible extension or adding incentives to his deal, per ESPN.
Judon — who signed a four-year, $56 million deal with the Patriots prior to the 2021 season — felt he deserved a larger contract after tallying 32 sacks in 38 games with the team.
He tallied four sacks in four games last season after suffering a torn biceps.
“Honestly, it’s tough going into the last year of the deal. You kind of look at everybody around the league and in the building, and you see them getting deals done and worked out, and it’s tough to not be envious or jealous and stuff like that,” Judon said in July, according to ESPN.
“But I have to focus on myself. I’m happy for those guys. As much as everybody wants to see me stay around here for a long time, it’s really not up to me. You have to ask those guys who are making those decisions.”
Judon did not hide his frustration with the situation, even having an animated discussion with first-year head coach Jerod Mayo in late July.
However, unlike star receivers Brandon Aiyuk and CeeDee Lamb, who have not practiced or skipped training camp in hopes of striking new deals with the 49ers and Cowboys, respectively, Judon only missed two practices before returning to the team.
He had said he would play out the final year of his contract.
The rebuilding Patriots ultimately decided they valued the draft pick more than having Judon for at least one more season and sent him to a Falcons team looking to make a playoff push.
“We have to weigh now, the future, what’s best for the team, what’s best for the player,” Patriots executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf said, per NBC Sports Boston, “and it was something that we just felt organizationally, and for Matthew, it was probably the best for both parties.”
Judon seemingly hinted at having bittersweet feelings after the trade.
“Anyone ever fail a physical because of a broken heart? -rod wave,” Judon posted Thursday on X.
Entering his walk year, Judson is now taking a different approach with the Falcons when it comes to a possible extension.
“The Atlanta Falcons know nothing about me as a football player and about me as a man,” Judon said, per ESPN. “They really know my previous résumé. So, I can’t really demand or ask for anything that. I haven’t worked for. And that’s where I’ve been my whole life. So, I’m [going to] work for it, man.”
