Matthew Judon opens up on contract situation at Patriots training camp
Matthew Judon had a lot to say about his contract on Wednesday.
The Patriots linebacker met with reporters after the New England Patriots’ first open practice of 2024 training camp in Foxboro, and while he was expansive and brutally honest about his contract situation, he was also diplomatic about it. He’s never been one to cause unnecessary rifts over the business side of the game, but it’s clear how disappointed he is that he’s been unable to get an extension with the Pats – especially seeing so many of his teammates get them.
“Honestly, it’s tough going into the last year of a deal,” Judon said. “You kind of look at everybody around the league and in the building, and you see them getting deals done and worked out, and it’s tough not to be jealous or envious or something like that. But honestly, I got to focus on myself. I’m happy for those guys.”
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Judon iterated on several occasions that he knows about how little control he has over his contract, and that it takes two sides to agree on a deal.
“As much as everybody wants to see me stay around here for a long time, it’s really not up to me,” Judon continued. “I’d pay myself a lot of money and just stay around here for a long time, but it’s not up to me. You’ve got to ask those guys that are making those decisions, and they’re trying to do what’s best for the team, rightfully so and understandably.
“They’re trying to put us in the right spot to win games and leverage everybody’s contract in the right situation, make sure the salary cap is right, so if we get in a tough spot later in the year we can sign players and whatnot. But, it’s not up to me. I’d pay myself a lot of money and just be cool with it.”
Judon added that if it were up to him, he’d stay a Patriot “forever.” He credited his teammates and his love for the locker room culture as reasons why he prefers to stay in New England for the rest of his career. That and he’s too lazy to move again. (That was a joke, we think.)
Also of note in recent days was that Judon reposted a trade idea from a random person on X. And, so, he was asked if he would want to be traded. Not interested in that, either.
“Do I want to be traded? Hell no,” Judon said. “I feel like when you’re traded, it’s kind of like, you go not say in it, they just come tell you, ‘Hey bro, you’re leaving.’ I don’t think nobody wants to be traded, honestly.”
Judon was also asked if he planned on playing under his current contract if he couldn’t get a new deal done. He doesn’t sound like he’s about to hold out at any point.
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“I mean, I got to [play], honestly,” Judon said. “Again, I signed a deal, my signature’s on it, so I’ve got to play on it. Would I like to? No. Do I think that’s my value? No. But again, that’s not up to me.”
Judon said enough about the whole situation on Wednesday, that there isn’t anything new to say or write about it anymore, until a deal gets done. If it does.
Matt Dolloff is a writer and digital content producer for 98.5 The Sports Hub. Read all of his articles here.
