New England Patriots linebacker Matthew Judon and coach Jerod Mayo could be seen having an animated conversation at training camp practice on Monday.
Judon arrived to practice without pads and sat down on a trash can to watch his teammates. The four-time Pro Bowler is currently seeking a new contract, and it looked like he might be holding in by not participating in practice.
Mayo eventually made his way over to Judon, and the two could be seen having a discussion. Judon then stood up and walked off the field after exchanging more words with Mayo.
NBC Sports Boston caught the entire interaction on camera.
Jerod Mayo appears to exchange some words with Matthew Judon who is not participating in practice today. Judon seen exiting the field after their conversation 👀 pic.twitter.com/BJvP64tnpS
— NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSBoston) July 29, 2024
Per NBC Sports Boston’s Phil Perry, Judon returned to the field about 10 minutes later and had another animated conversation with executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf and Matt Groh.
The veteran pass-rusher left the field again after that conversation.
There was hope that the two sides would get a deal done by training camp, but Judon and the Patriots have yet to bridge that gap. One has to wonder if situations like this one might potentially widen the gap even further.
The Patriots are a young football team, and it’s surprising to see this kind of scenario play out at an open practice with fans in attendance.
Judon turns 32 years old in August, and he’s coming off a season-ending injury. He’s obviously looking for security ahead of the season, and the Patriots are looking to protect themselves from a bad contract.
So it isn’t as simple as signing a blank check to keep Judon on the roster. The honeymoon stage for the new regime didn’t last long, and they might have to make a tough decision on one of the best players on the team.
