Patriots LB Doubles Down on Calling Out Fans

This New England Patriots linebacker is doubling down on his controversial comments about Patriots fans.

Dec 15, 2024; Glendale, Arizona, USA; New England Patriots linebacker Jahlani Tavai (48) against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

New England Patriots linebacker Jahlani Tavai caused quite a stir when he criticized Patriots fans for booing and chanting for head coach Jerod Mayo to be fired last week, saying that the fans need to "know their place."

As expected, Tavai has faced considerable backlash for his comments, but he isn't backing down.

When asked about the situation, Tavai apologized to anyone who may have been offended, but he didn't retract anything. As a matter of fact, he doubled down on it.

“To anybody who was offended, that’s not who I am. What I am is a guy who is going to defend his brothers,” Tavai said, via Mike Reiss of ESPN. “Anybody who is my co-worker or comes to this facility, I’m going to have their back. I’m sure if somebody who is listening right now, if somebody came into their house and did the same thing and talked about their family and people they worked with, they’ll act some type of way too. That’s it. So if that clears up a lot of stuff, and if people still don’t like it, then whatever. It is what it is."

There is absolutely nothing wrong with defending your coach, and I don't think anyone is taking issue with Tavai's defense of Mayo.

The problem is with Tavai telling fans—whose money essentially pays for the players' contracts—to "know their place."

But Tavai is sticking to his guns.

"What I said is what I said," Tavai said. "I apologize to anybody whose feelings got hurt. But I’m going to defend my own."

That obviously isn't much of an apology.

Not that Tavai really owes anyone anything, but if he were going to actually apologize, he should have specifically apologized for the one specific comment he made that raised some hairs.

Regardless, this entire season has been a mess in New England. The Pats will get to put the 2024 campaign out of its misery this Sunday when they face the Buffalo Bills in the season finale.

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