The New England Patriots’ preseason game against the Philadelphia Eagles on Thursday night was highlighted by the play of rookie quarterback (and No. 3 overall pick) Drake Maye.
However, the Patriots Preseason Network broadcast — which also aired on NFL Network — provided an awkward, but amusing, moment during the third quarter, when sideline reporter Steve Burton interviewed New England running back Rhamondre Stevenson.
Burton asked Stevenson if defenseman Matthew Judon had been traded to the Atlanta Falcons on Wednesday. The question was worded vaguely, without mentioning Judon by name. But it was probably safe to assume Stevenson knew who Burton was referring to when he said “the guy who just left” since it happened the day before.
However, the fourth-year running back mistakenly thought Burton was talking about former head coach Bill Belichick, who left the Patriots during the offseason.
“Yeah, I’m going to miss Bill. He was one of my favorite coaches,” Stevenson said. “You know, (Jerod) Mayo, he’s a great leader, he knows what he’s doing with us. And yeah, I’m excited for Mayo and I think we can do it with him.”
Burton then politely clarified that he wasn’t talking about Mayo. Yet he still didn’t mention Judon by name, referring to him as “your defensive teammate.” Considering the magnitude of the Belichick-leaving-the-Patriots story, Stevenson can’t necessarily be blamed for thinking Burton was talking about the coach, rather than Judon.
However, Burton then ended the conversation by attempting to respond to Stevenson by saying that Judon was “moving on to better places.” That’s certainly an interesting thing for an employee to say—perhaps a freelancer, but one paid by the Patriots, nonetheless.
Burton was probably presumptuous to believe that Stevenson thought Judon was going to join a better team. He probably meant a better situation where he would be happier with his role and a possible future contract. He corrected himself and clarified that Judon was going to “go somewhere else.”
The interview ended with a nice closing from Stevenson, who said he was excited for Judon, who has “a few more years in him.” Burton added that the Patriots’ defense is improving despite Judon’s absence.
All of this reminds us why we don’t get player interviews during regular-season games. Even though preseason games are more casual and less urgent, they’re situations that no one is comfortable with.
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