Matthew Judon quickly shuts down latest gossip about Patriots future

The Patriots have not been immune to contract disputes throughout their storied history, and they find themselves in that position again just a few weeks ahead of training camp. It appears they will be on the hook for negotiating new contracts with two defensive studs, Davon Godchaux and Matthew Judon, who have both made it clear they want to remain with the team.

Most updates regarding any contract news have focused on Judon, with most of the latest gossip not looking good for his chances to stay in New England. Not because he wants out but because Eliot Wolf might not be willing to offer him the rightful contract to make him happy.

That has led to various reports regarding what comes next, with many proposing trade options for the Patriots to get the biggest bang for their buck by shipping off one of their most desirable players before the season begins. Others have suggested salaries to keep Judon since he has become a foundational piece of the Patriots' defense.

But team insiders and reporters are conflicted about what's going on behind the scenes.

The most recent reporting came from Boston Sports Journal's Greg Bedard, who appeared on CLNS Media over the weekend and claimed Judon is lying to the public and has already stated behind closed doors that he will not play on his current contract for the 2024 season.

"He may be playing nice publicly. And he has. He has said all of the right things. If you want to believe him, take him at his word, go right ahead. I’m not going to stop you,. What I can tell you is, from the people I’ve talked to, he is not going to play under his current contract, at least for the Patriots."

It's horrible news for a defense that has relied on Judon's contributions, which was even more apparent in his absence much of last season. But the team's sack leader clarified the latest rumor as quickly as he could, jumping on social media to address Bedard's reporting.

Matthew Judon doesn't want fans to believe the latest rumor regarding his contract status

Because news travels quickly in New England, even more so when it's negative, Judon took to his Twitter/X account to defend himself against Bedard's accusations. He told fans he never said anything about not playing on his current contract and doesn't want to be made out to be the villain.

This isn't the first time a player has taken exception to something said by a Patriots reporter, but this is the first time Judon has responded to such a report.

That seems to indicate that he's telling the truth and perhaps Bedard is not, or perhaps he's trying to save face as he doesn't want his reputation tarnished if he doesn't remain with the Patriots.

It's more than likely Judon is telling the truth, since he has been the farthest from any drama since he signed with the team in 2021. On the contrary, he's been a favorite by those in the media and wouldn't respond to something like this unless he felt it was necessary.

Hopefully, this isn't the start of something ugly surrounding his potential extension with the Patriots, as most fans want. It would be better for everything to be kept behind closed doors and dealt with accordingly, without any more drama moving forward.

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