Max Kellerman To Patriots Fans: You Are The Dumbest Fans In Sports

BOSTON (CBS) -- It's official, Patriots fans. ESPN's Max Kellerman is willing to be your bad guy.

It's not an entirely drastic change of course, but at least the "First Take" co-host is being up front about it now. Previously, he'd hide behind the guise of HAVING A TAKE, with only moderate intimations that he did not care for people who root for New England's football team.

But now he's going full on wrestling heel. He's saying that you're stupid.

"Really, for an organization that is the smartest in football, they have some of the dumbest fans in sports," Kellerman said of the Patriots. "That's right. That's right. Dumb! Dumb. Derrr dumb. Like. Derrr."

That's kind of mean.

Kellerman was all hot and bothered because of pushback from Patriots fans on Seth Wickersham's big exposé about the impending breakup of Tom Brady, Bill Belichick and Robert Kraft, and the "lingering sadness" that fills the halls at 1 Patriot Place these days (as the 13-3 Patriots begin their quest for what they hope will land them a third Super Bowl victory in four seasons).

Kellerman imitated "stupid" Patriots fans some more: "Here are the tweets I get, 'Dehh, uhh, Belichick and Brady and Kraft all denied it therefore why are you keeping it a story?' What do you think they are going to do -- admit it? How stupid do you have to be? Of course they're going to deny it."

Kellerman also suggested that Belichick may have been Wickersham's source on all matters that discussed Belichick's line of thinking in the story.

"First Take," a show known for nuance and modesty, didn't draw much attention at all to the mini-rant, as you would expect:

Very subdued. Elegant, in a way.

Kellerman also went on to sort of say that his grand prediction that Brady will "fall off a cliff" and "be a bum in short order" has come true? (Fact check: Brady will be handed his third NFL MVP award in short order.) Guest host Damien Woody told Kellerman, "You're still waiting for Tom Brady to fall off the cliff."

"What do you mean waiting? I have eyes!" Kellerman exclaimed. "Tom Brady hasn't been excellent in the last five games! He's been an ordinary quarterback. Go look at tape, Damien."

Brady was bad over the final five games (6 TDs, 5 INTs, 81.6 passer rating), but again, he's going to be named the NFL MVP, and he may be kick-starting another Super Bowl run. Now's not the time to try to claim victory on a very bad "cliff" argument.

Alas, that is the move of a man willing to draw a line in the sand, don a scary mask, and welcome in the hate from much of the six-state region in the Northeast corner of our beautiful little country. Max has finally gone all-in. He's willing to sell himself as the bad guy. Even an idiot can see what he's doing.

In:
• NFL
• New England Patriots
• ESPN