Matthew Judon's reaction to trade will devastate Patriots fans

The Patriots have spent the past week preparing for their second preseason game of the year, as they welcome the Eagles to Gillette Stadium on Thursday night. That has been the focus all week long, but that changed on Wednesday when the shocking news about Matthew Judon's trade to the Falcons was announced on social media.

Although the team and their star pass rusher seemed a bit uncertain about a contract extension, the situation appeared to have cooled down, and fans were looking forward to seeing those red sleeves back in action this fall.

Judon quickly became a fan favorite in New England due to his infectious attitude, interaction with the crowds before games, and (of course) his impressive production on game days. This became even more apparent once he suffered a season-ending injury in Week 4 of the 2023 season, which noticeably impacted the defense's success and the excitement amongst the fans.

So, to hear the reports that he would no longer be a part of the Patriots was a hit to fans' morale, even if expectations are low for the Patriots this upcoming season. It helped (slightly) that the team received a 2025 third round pick in return, which was an unexpected return given Judon's age and recent injury.

But Judon's first tweet in response to the trade might aggravate the wounds for the fans who are still disappointed with the Patriots' decision.

Matthew Judon's first tweet about trade to the Falcons definitely won't make Patriots fans happy

The four-time Pro Bowler has been active on his Instagram account over the last 18 hours, reposting several teammates, future and past, well wishes and goodbyes to his stories. He had also posted a simple reaction of directions from his current location to Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta, leaving it up to interpretation regarding his reaction to the trade.

That seemed to be revealed in his first post to Twitter/X on Thursday afternoon, as Judon posted a quote by musical artist Rod Wave that seemed to imply his feelings on the matter.

It's a disappointing update, given how many fans feel about the trade. Although things didn't seem great between the Patriots and Judon, it looks like he's not thrilled about the trade either.

Yet, at the end of the day, it is just social media, and Judon is known for stirring the pot online to get the people talking. It's possible he's good with the decision and is looking forward to a new opportunity with a new team since things looked to be going downhill with him in New England. But it's also possible he is upset about it since he had repeatedly stated he wanted to retire with the Patriots.

We'll probably never really know why this happened, but for the fans who want to continue rooting for Judon, they'll have to watch for the red sleeves somewhere other than on the field at Gillette Stadium this season.

Update as of 3pm EST on August 15

Judon took to his Instagram to bid New England and Patriots fans farewell as he heads to the NFC South to continue his career.

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