Matthew Judon adamant that he doesn't want to be traded, hopes to finish career with Patriots
FOXBORO -- Matthew Judon did not receive the contract extension he wants from the Patriots ahead of training camp, but that will not keep the star pass rusher off the practice field in Foxboro. Judon and his red sleeves were out there on Wednesday, and the star pass rusher expressed his desire to finish his career in New England after the practice session.
"I'm lazy, so I don't want to move again," joked Judon.
Taking a more serious tone, Judon said it's the comradery among all the players that has him enamored with remaining in New England.
"It's the locker room, my teammates," he said. "Deatrich Wise, I hang out with him in the offseason because he's a good dude. We kept a guy like Matthew Slater around, which speaks volumes about the organization. [Dont'e] Hightower came back [as a coach]. It's not just me that wants to stay here, there are a lot of guys who want to be in this organization."
Judon pointed to guys like Josh Uche, Anferenee Jennings, and Jonathan Jones, who have taken less money to remain in New England.
"A lot of guys that get in here and get into the locker room, they get addicted to it. It's an addicting locker room, an addicting culture, and that's what I want to be around," he said. "We communicate football on the defensive end at a high level and I love it."
Judon said that it isn't easy going into the final year of his contract, especially when he sees guys in his locker room and others around the NFL get big contracts. But it's not entirely up to him, so he will control what he can control at the moment.
"I'll pay myself a lot of money and stay around here for a long time, but it's not up to me. You've got to ask those guys that are making those decisions," he said. "They're trying to do what's best for the team and understandably so. They're trying to put us in the right spot to win games and leverage everybody's contract in the right situation to make sure the salary cap is right so where if we get in a tough spot later in the year, we can sign player."
While he wants some more loot and job security, Judon said he would play out his current deal (which will pay him just $6.5 million this season) if it comes to that.
"I mean, I've got to, honestly. I signed the deal. My signature's on it, so I've got to play on it," he said. "Would I like to? No. Do I think that's my value? No. But again, that's not up to me."
Earlier this month, Henry McKenna of Fox Sports reported that the two sides were not close on a new contract. Judon's X account recently reposted a hypothetical trade to the San Francisco 49ers, but Judon was adamant on Wednesday that he doesn't control his social media accounts.
He also made it clear that he does not want to be traded.
"Hell no," Judon said emphatically. "I feel like when you're traded it's kind of like you don't got no say in it. They just kind of tell you, 'Hey bro, you leavin'. I don't think nobody wants to be traded, honestly.
"I hope I continue to play here, wearing red sleeves and contributing to this defense," Judon added. "But if that's not the case, that's not the case."
Judon, who will turn 32 next month, has been big on the New England defense since signing as a free agent in 2021. He racked up 12.5 sacks in his first season with the team before surpassing that number with 15.5 sacks in 2022.
Judon was limited to just four games last season after he suffered a torn biceps in Week 4. The Patriots likely want to get a look at Judon's health before considering signing him to an extension, so we'll see if something comes to fruition in the coming weeks.