The drama in New England continues as the Patriots prepare for their Week 8 matchup with the New York Jets on Sunday. Rumors have been flooding the airwaves and the internet over the past week, mainly discussing the alleged tension behind the scenes that goes beyond dealing with a 1-6 record.
It has now expanded into Jerod Mayo being in the hot seat, with some insiders suggesting Robert Kraft has already begun to regret his decision to make him the next head coach. Whether there's truth to that or not doesn't really matter because the fact it's even being said is damaging enough.
Unfortunately, that's not the only bad press the Patriots have received during the 2024 season. The latest revolves around a disgruntled receiving corps.
We've seen and heard plenty from the wide receivers this season, whether from their statements to the media or their social media activity. That has been consistent since the season opener, with things only getting worse, and now one of the latest additions to the team has seemingly made it clear he isn't exactly thrilled with being on the team anymore.
K.J. Osborn avoids really answering questions about wanting to remain with the Patriots
The latest player to dip his toes in the social media world to stir up some controversy is K.J. Osborn, who the Patriots signed in free agency earlier this year. He was considered a valuable asset to the team beyond being a solid producer in the passing game, as he was highly regarded as a great teammate.
While that still might be true, his social media activity has been far from a reflection of a happy member of the roster.
Because of that, reporters made sure to ask him about his Instagram post that went viral after last Sunday's loss to the Jaguars. Besides not directly answering if he wanted to be traded, he didn't seem all too excited about his position on the team, either.
How frustrating is it to be on a team focused on developing young guys?
— Phil Perry (@PhilAPerry) October 23, 2024
“It’s extremely difficult. It’s frustrating. A lot of that stuff is not in my control…The organization is going to do what’s best for them. Or I would say for us.”
Added he wants to coach up young players.
Perhaps the worst part about this entire situation is that the rumor of a mutiny continues to linger in the back of everyone's mind, so seeing something like this develop doesn't shut down that narrative, either.
The frustrations of the players have been well-documented this season, and it's clear something needs to change because this doesn't seem to reflect the attitude of players who are just upset that they're dealing with a six-game losing streak. All signs point to something deeper going on, even more than just being frustrated about not being included in the game plan.
It was obvious the 2024 season wasn't going to be pretty after Bill Belichick was let go, and a massive rebuild was set to ensue. But things feel like they're getting a bit out of control, and it's difficult to say whether the current regime is equipped to handle it properly.
But something needs to be done because it's a terrible look to have so many players speaking so candidly and negative about how the team is conducting itself behind closed doors or on the field, and it certainly won't help draw players to the team in free agency, since that is likely going to be a priority next offseason.