Chase Winovich, outspoken in college, adhering to Patriot Way
Famous for both his play and his mouth in college, rookie defensive end Chase Winovich has pledged to “turn the dial back a little bit” as a pro.
Rookie defensive end Chase Winovich obviously had himself quite a college career at the University of Michigan – otherwise he never would have found himself a third-round selection of the New England Patriots in the 2019 NFL Draft.
Interestingly though, he also made quite a few headlines during his days as a Wolverine for the brash, outspoken comments he’d make off the field in front of the media. Amongst many worthy quotations, here are a few of our favorites:
- “We wanted our lunch money back. We wanted them to pay interest. The bank is closed on Sundays, but we’ve got some deposits to make.” -Winovich on defeating Penn State
- “Sometimes your little brother starts acting up, and you just gotta put them in place.” -Winovich on defeating Michigan State
- “I would say to any recruit or any potential guy that sees maybe what happened in the Ohio State game or is persuaded against coming here because of that, I would say that alone is a mirage and what we’ve built here is a powerhouse.” -Winovich on losing to Ohio State
- “Not to quote Buzz Lightyear here but it’s infinity and beyond with what we’re working with here.” -Winovich on the future of Michigan football
While the drafting of Winovich by the Patriots was almost universally praised as a match made in heaven, one area worth keeping an eye on is how the young player acclimates to the Patriot Way – the infamously buttoned-down, lips-shut, zero-bulletin-board-material-given culture that head coach Bill Belichick has instilled in Foxborough for two decades now.
The rookie was recently asked about how he’s fitting in on the team when it comes to that front, and his response was illuminating – and exactly what you want to hear if you’re a Pats fan, too.
"“I’m a rookie. Being vocal, especially in the media, being a blinking light, is not what I aim to be right now,” Winovich told a reporter from USA Today. “My goal is to make the 53-man roster and contribute to this team in a positive way. I wouldn’t say ‘put a lid on it,’ but you have to be a little more strategic. Turn the dial back a little bit. It’s just a matter of playing football now. This is professional. This isn’t college anymore. And I’m a rookie.”"
The logical follow-up to this question was whether or not Winovich was told by Coach Belichick or someone else on the team that he needed to turn the dial back, or if he just figured it out all by himself. Again, to Winovich’s credit, it appears he learned the lesson on his own.
“I don’t know if it’s so much the Patriots… I’m a rookie.”
That was the phrase he kept repeating throughout the interview, so it sounds as if he’s already got his head on straight. Hopefully Winovich will keep it on straight, and grow into a model example of the Patriot Way as he continues his introduction to the NFL.