Patriots Coach Pushes Back on LB Ripping Fans

A New England Patriots coach has provided some pushback on linebacker Jahlani Tavai, who recently called out the fans.

Dec 15, 2024; Glendale, Arizona, USA; New England Patriots special teams coordinator Jeremy Springer against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The New England Patriots are preparing to play their season finale against the Buffalo Bills this Sunday and are hoping to put a better product on the field than they did in Week 17.

The Patriots were last seen getting hammered by the Los Angeles Chargers, 40-7, on their home field last weekend, leading to fans booing and calling for Jerod Mayo's job.

That didn't sit well with linebacker Jahlani Tavai, who said that the fans should "know their place" and then later doubled down on his statement while offering a half-baked apology.

Well, needless to say, special teams coordinator Jeremy Springer does not feel the same way as Tavai.

When asked about the situation, Springer came to the defense of the New England faithful and feels that the fans have every right to express themselves.

“I mean, I always say this, ‘If you don’t want to get shot at, don’t join the Army,'” Springer told reporters. " ... “So, I’m all about the team and the fans, too. There’s people in those stands – and I know because I was a kid once and my parents couldn’t afford to go to football games – they’re expensive tickets. To bring your whole family to the game, that’s $1,000 probably you’re spending in one day. And then to lose like we did, I mean, they’re upset. They’re frustrated. And they should be. We need to put a better product on the field and that’s what our job is."

That's what Tavai doesn't seem to grasp.

While Tavai did an honorable thing in defending his coach, he also completely missed the mark on the fans by telling them they should "know their place."

The fans essentially pay Tavai's salary by buying tickets to go to the games, so that's something he should certainly understand before taking shots at them.

We'll see if the Pats can actually give Gillette Stadium something to cheer about on Sunday.

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