Matthew Judon grateful for Patriots amending his contract: "They didn't have to"

FOXBORO -- With a reworked contract and a whole lot of gratitude toward the Patriots, Matthew Judon is ready to ramp things up at training camp. 

New England's best player returned to the practice field on Sunday and was dominated the Patriots' makeshift offensive line in the team's unpadded practice. The menace in red sleeves couldn't be contained, and it was clear that he was happy to be back playing football for the Patriots.

And rightfully so, after he and New England agreed to a new deal Friday that will guarantee Judon $14 million (up from just $2 million guaranteed) for the upcoming season. With bonuses, Judon can earn up to $18 million for the 2023 season, which is still a relative bargain given his impact on the New England defense -- and the team as a whole.

While Judon said last week he'd never talk contract with reporters -- or as he called them, "snitches" -- he did peel back that curtain just a little bit after Sunday's practice session. He had nothing but nice things to say about the Patriots, extremely appreciative that the two sides were able to agree on a reworked contract.

"Me and the guys upstairs got something done, as far as my contract. I'm happy. They're happy. We shook hands, and now we're playing football," said Judon. 

"I think it represents that they want to keep me around here or keep me happy. Or just representing that they've seen what I did and they appreciate it, for the organization. When you do something like that... Honestly, they didn't have to if we're being quite frank," added Judon. "They didn't have to. They didn't have to budge. They could have said, 'You signed this. This is what you're going to do.' But they helped me out, so I can help the team out."

Judon said earlier this summer that he would love to spend the rest of his career in New England. In keeping him happy this season, the Patriots just greatly improved the odds of that coming to fruition.

And now Judon, who had only been working on conditioning through the first nine sessions of training camp as he and the Patriots worked on his contract details, is gearing up to do what Matthew Judon does best: Attack opposing quarterbacks.