Former New England Player Rips 'Cheap' Patriots After 34-10 Win
For Tennessee Titans running back Dion Lewis, this one was personal.
The former New England Patriot, who was instrumental on the teams that appeared in back-to-back Super Bowls in 2017 and 2018, had some pointed words for his former team after the Titans’ 34-10 upset of the Patriots on Sunday.
“Yeah it was a real sweet win, especially when you used to be there and they didn’t want to bring you back, so definitely real sweet,” Lewis said after the game.
Dion Lewis took the Titans’ 34–10 blowout win over the “cheap” Patriots very personally https://t.co/uZDLXvdawO
— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) November 12, 2018
“I’m happy my teammates came out and played, and I love these guys,” added Lewis, who rushed for 57 yards and caught two passes for 11 yards in the win.
When asked if it was personal, Lewis responded in the affirmative.
“Hell yeah, it’s personal,” the 28-year-old said. “When you go cheap, you get your ass kicked.”
— Dion Lewis (@DionLewisRB) November 11, 2018
Lewis, 28, wanted to stay with the Patriots, but after the team let him walk into free agency, he signed a four-year, $18 million deal with the Titans.
“If they wanted me, they could’ve had me,” Lewis told the Boston Globe last week.
“But obviously, they didn’t want me. They didn’t think I was good enough to be there. I just had to move on and do what’s best for me,” said Lewis, who spent four years with the Patriots.
He had a breakout year in 2016, rushing for 896 yards, catching 32 passes for 214 yards, and scoring nine touchdowns (six rushing, three receiving).
Lewis is off to a good start with Tennessee. Through eight games, Lewis has 339 yards rushing, but already has 33 receptions and 259 yards — both of which are already more than he had all of last season.
“I always carry a chip on my shoulder, always eager to prove the kind of player I am, and that’s not going to change just because I got a contract,” Lewis told the Globe. “I’m self-motivated. I feel like I’m a great player and I’m always eager to show what type of player I am.”
His former teammate, Tom Brady, appreciated what Lewis gave the Patriots.
Tom Brady on @KirkAndCallahan responded to Dion Lewis ripping the Patriots after the Titans’ big win yesterday.
Listen to the full interview here: https://t.co/pLEbuNIM6x pic.twitter.com/DV0BlIa0fp
— WEEI (@WEEI) November 12, 2018
“Dion had a great career here, and it’s hard to see great players go,” Brady told WEEI-FM Boston. “I know it’s not the first time it’s happened. It’s happened to a lot of guys. I’m sure when they go to different places, they want to beat us. Absolutely, I can understand that emotion. So we’ve had guys that come from other teams, and they want to beat that team. It’s just part of the sport. I give them credit, they beat us, and when you win, you get to say a lot of things. That’s the reality of winning.”
Two other former Patriots, cornerbacks Logan Ryan and Malcolm Butler, also play for the Titans.
“We want to beat everybody, but this one right here was a little more satisfying,” Butler said, according to ESPN.
In his final game as a Patriot, Super Bowl LII against the Eagles in February, Butler was benched in the 41-33 loss. Belichick had some nice words for Butler after the game when the two met.
“He said he appreciated me playing for him for four years, and I said the same thing back. He told me good luck on the rest of the season and told me to keep fighting like he knows I will,” Butler said.
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