Matthew Judon gives his side of his contract spat with Patriots
FOXBORO -- Matthew Judon has returned to practice, but the star pass rusher remains an unhappy camper at training camp because of his current contract situation with the New England Patriots. Judon said as much again on Monday, as he fielded questions with reporters for the first time since his animated on-field conversations with Jerod Mayo and the Patriots' brass -- and subsequent departure from practice -- last week.
Monday's quick media session followed another padded practice for the Patriots, and it started with a little bit of fun as linebacker Jahlani Tavai accompanied Judon to the podium and took questions for his teammate. Tavai relayed the responses that he received from a whispering Judon.
"Judon feels great," he replied when asked how Judon was feeling.
But when the topic of a new contract came up, Tavai didn't follow the script.
"Next question," replied Tavai, which drew a big chuckle from Judon.
"That's not what I said," Judon said with a smirk.
Judon took over from there, and things got a bit more serious.
What happened with Matthew Judon and the Patriots last week?
Last Monday, when the team took the field for its first padded practice of training camp, Judon did so in only sweats. As the rest of the team practiced, he spoke with Mayo on the field before departing. Judon later returned to chat with Eliot Wolf and Matt Groh of the New England front office before departing again.
Judon's conversations with Mayo and Wolf and Groh were described as "animated" from reporters in Foxboro. Judon shared his take on what went down last week on Monday afternoon.
"We had a conversation. I didn't want to be a distraction to the team, so I went inside," Judon said of his chat with Mayo. "I wasn't participating in those drills that day. I went inside, then I got a message, so I came back and talked to our GMs, and went back inside."
As for being animated during those discussions, Judon said that's just how he normally talks.
"Sorry, I'm animated so I talk with my hands. I'm going to start talking like this and not be as animated," Judon said as he put his hands to his side.
On Saturday, Mayo said his talk with Judon was "good" and "healthy" and that he encourages players to speak with him or Wolf. But he believes those conversations should happen inside the building and not on the field.
Judon agreed that the conversation was productive, even if he still doesn't have the contract he wants from the team.
"I feel like that's every conversation, regardless of the emotions involved. Just because we don't agree doesn't mean we don't understand each other's side," said Judon.
Judon says he didn't practice because he "had something going on"
Judon wasn't at practice at all last Tuesday, but he made it sound like that absence was not contract-related.
"I had something going on with me," replied Judon.
Judon was back at practice Thursday and has been participating since his return.
Will Judon still play on his current contract in 2024?
Judon is set to make just $6.5 million this season in the final year of his contract, but said on the first day of training camp that he would play on that current deal. He still intends to play, but practicing is another story.
"I got to play. I didn't say nothing about practice," said Judon. "I have to go out there and play, play the game. Do what I'm contract and obligated to do so I don't lose money."
Mayo has said that any player healthy enough to take the field is expected to practice. Judon was asked how Mayo and New England coaches felt about his approach to practice on Monday.
"You got to talk to them," he said.
Are Matthew Judon and the Patriots any closer to a new contract?
It doesn't sound like it. When asked about the status of negotiations, Judon told reporters to ask the other side.
"You got to talk to them. Like I told y'all before, I'd pay myself and we'd never talk about it. But it's not up to me," he said.
"We have a market set by the highest guy, and then everyone falls in line until the next guy is up to breaks that contract. I was injured all last season, so that's not really where my market is," Judon admitted. "But I don't think it's $6.5 [million]."
Judon was asked if it's money or term that is the sticking point in his eyes.
"I only have one year left so it really doesn't matter. I told you I want to stay here for the rest of my career. I only have one year left," he replied. "With more years would come more money, but it's not up to me. I was telling y'all, they come out every day but you don't ask them questions."
Where is Matthew Judon's head at right now?
It's easy to understand Judon's frustrations this summer. He watched the Patriots re-sign a number of players in the offseason (like Christian Barmore, Kyle Dugger, Hunter Henry, and Mike Onwenu) and then extend several more players since the opening of camp (Rhamondre Stevenson, Jabrill Peppers, and most recently, Davon Godchaux) while begging for his own deal.
But Judon has to understand New England's trepidation toward giving a big contract to a 32-year-old coming off an injury. As Judon said, he understands that missing most of last season with a biceps injury doesn't help his cause of a bigger payday. He is holding firm that he's worth much more than he's schedule to make in 2024.
Judon was asked if he was in a "good place" at the moment, and he responded that mentally, he's always in a good place.
"This is football, and football business. They're two different things. I love playing football and love my teammates -- I don't like the business of football," he explained. "But as long as I can point to my lord and savior Jesus Christ, my mental space is untouched. I can praise him with wherever I'm at in life. Whether that is emotionally, physically, or mentally. That has nothing to do with the man that I am."
The Patriots will practice one more time this week on Tuesday before hosting the Carolina Panthers for a preseason tilt on Thursday night at Gillette Stadium.