Insider Says Patriots Were 'Sick' of Matthew Judon Before Falcons Deal

The New England Patriots may have had some more tension with their star pass rusher than what meets the eye.

Aug 17, 2024; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Atlanta Falcons linebacker Matthew Judon stands on the field before a preseason game against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports / Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

The underlying details continue to unravel surrounding the New England Patriots and their situation revolving around their trade with Pro Bowl edge rusher Matthew Judon to the Atlanta Falcons.

Following an extensive negotiation period this summer between the Patriots and Judon that proved unsuccessful after some back-and-forth between both sides, New England decided to make the bold decision to deal their 32-year-old pass rusher to the Falcons in exchange for a 2025 third-round pick—effectively ending the Judon era in Foxboro after three seasons of service.

However, it's beginning to seem as if the blockbuster was more than just a money situation, as described by Patriots insider Albert Breer of NBC Sports Boston.

According to Breer, the Patriots were reportedly getting "sick" of Judon towards the end of his tenure with the team amid his consistent contract negotiations, noting the now-Falcons pass rusher being "sort of an operator" behind closed doors, eventually becoming an act that had "worn thin" in New England:

"Judon was not as well-liked by the coaches and front office people as you might have thought, and 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 become sort of an operator, and his act had worn thin with people inside of the building."

- Albert Breer on Matthew Judon

"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

Judon was continuously vocal about his desire for a new deal with the Patriots, and made some league headlines following some of his actions during New England's training camp, along with a few eye-raising social posts that would hint at his displeasure with his contract situation. It was an up-and-down rollercoaster that spanned across most of the summer, but as of two weeks ago, this front office decided they had seen enough.

Breer continued to note that this isn't the first time Judon has had similar gripes thrown his way, as it was an issue that was present in Baltimore that further accelerated his move away from the Patriots:

"It's something that was an issue in Baltimore too, quite honestly. So, it's not saying he's a bad guy, but there was some of this cheerleader stuff on social media that a lot of people in the organization would roll their eyes at. And then, when he became a problem this summer, [the feeling] was 'all right, like, what do we do to move him off the roster now? Because we're trying to build a new program and we don't want this hovering over us."

- Albert Breer, cont.

With Judon's re-negotiated deal last offseason leaving him with just a $6.5 million contract this coming season, the four-time Pro Bowler desired a new deal that not only added some long-term security onto his future with the team but also raised his base salary to a level that was along the lines of his on-field value.

Yet, since he comes off an injury-riddled campaign in 2022, along with now reaching the latter half of his NFL career, the Patriots had their reservations about dishing out significant funds to their veteran pass rusher. Add that factor to the hectic activity going on behind the scenes reported by Breer, and it's becoming increasingly clear why we saw this trade come to light.

As the Judon saga now trails behind us, the Patriots can now focus on their current core of young and budding defenders with aspirations to reach their first top-ten-ranked defense since the 2021 season.

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