Breer details the Pats’ behind-the-scenes issues with Judon before the trade originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
The New England Patriots and Matthew Judon disagreed over how much he should be paid on his next contract. But that’s only part of the reason the team traded him to the Atlanta Falcons last week.
During Thursday’s episode of Boston Sports TonightAlbert Breer of Sports Illustrated reported that Judon annoyed some people within the Patriots organization and that his temperament behind closed doors made them more likely to trade him as Judon’s contract dispute continued.
“Judon wasn’t as beloved by the coaches and the front office people as you might have thought,” Breer told co-hosts Michael Felger and Michael Holley, as seen in the video player above. “That was really part of the end, was they just got tired of him.
“They felt like there was a Judon watching the audience, and there was also a Judon behind the scenes. The Judon behind the scenes had become a bit of an operator, and his act had worn thin with the people in the building. And that was a problem in Baltimore too, frankly.”
Judon signed with the Patriots in free agency in 2021 after five seasons with the Ravens and quickly became a fan favorite. He collected 28 sacks between the 2021 and 2022 campaigns, while being nominated for two straight Pro Bowls and being highly interactive with fans, often playing catch with them before practices and games.
Judon was also very active on social media, trying to recruit star players for New England and sharing his feelings (both positive and negative) about the team’s moves. According to Breer, some of that activity did not sit well with the team’s staff, and when Judon engaged in a very public hold-in during training camp, it only increased the tension between the two sides.
“I’m not saying he’s a bad guy, but there was some of that cheerleader stuff on social media that a lot of people in the organization would roll their eyes at,” Breer said. “And then when he became an issue this summer, it was, ‘OK, what do we do to take him off the list now? Because we’re trying to build a new program, and we don’t want this hanging over our heads.’
“I think there’s more to the Judon swap than just the contractual situation.”
Head coach Jerod Mayo recently called the Judon trade a “win-win,” and that appears to be the case here. The Patriots received a hefty return for Judon (the Falcons’ 2025 third-round pick) while parting ways with a player who was apparently causing turmoil behind the scenes. Judon, meanwhile, got a fresh start in Atlanta, where he’ll have a chance to compete for a playoff spot in the NFC South.
Watch the YouTube video below to learn more from Breer about Judon.
