Nelson Agholor was a free agent splurge for the typically frugal New England Patriots. He hit the 2021 marketplace following a career year in his lone season as a Las Vegas Raider — 48 catches, 896 yards and a ridiculously potent 18.7 yards per catch. That made him a piece of Bill Belichick’s 2021 spending spree, where he signed a two-year, $22 million deal to part of the team’s overhauled, post-Tom Brady offense.
The move didn’t pay off last year. He looked like the same high-potential, low-production wideout who’d flummoxed the Philadelphia Eagles for five years after being a first round selection in 2015. But on Sunday, he looked worth every bit of that $11 million salary. Unfortunately for the Pittsburgh Steelers, it came at cornerback Akhello Witherspoon’s expense.
Akhello Witherspoon's gotta retire after Nelson Agholor did this to him pic.twitter.com/uu01ej5PBb
— Christian D'Andrea (@TrainIsland) September 18, 2022
This deep ball should have been a Mac Jones interception. Instead, Agholor climbed the ladder, scooped the ball off Witherspoon’s helmet, and leapt into the end zone to give his Patriots a 10-3 lead heading into halftime in Pittsburgh.
Through one half, Agholor has four catches for 80 yards and a touchdown. His previous career high for receiving yards as a Patriot? 72.
