New England Patriots' Bill Belichick has developed a reputation for being one of the most stubborn and immovable head coaches in the league. So, it should come as no surprise that he has remained firm on his stance of letting wideout Jakobi Meyers walk this past offseason.
Meyers played in New England for four years before joining the Raiders ahead of the 2023 season, signing a three-year, $33 million deal.
At the time, the bridges seemed only slightly singed between the two sides. Then, after Meyers' signing, the Patriots announced they were bringing on Chiefs reject JuJu Smith-Schuster for... exactly $33 million.
That slap in the face may have driven Meyers to put together some of his most impressive career performances in Las Vegas. Through five weeks, he has 25 catches for 274 yards and three touchdowns, on pace to set career highs across the board.
Meyers just came off a 75-yard game against the Packers in which he also scored a touchdown. If you ask Belichick, though, losing Meyers doesn't sting. Not one bit.
Belichick said in classic Belichick manner: "[Meyers] was a free agent and signed with the Raiders. A lot of guys leave and change teams in free agency. But Jakobi looks like he looked here."
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The Pats head coach claimed Meyers was a "priority" for the Patriots last summer and that the front office "talked to him." The two sides were "relatively" close to completing a deal, but as Belichick laments, "free agency is free agency."
New England reportedly gave Meyers a low-ball deal at the start of free agency, which led to the wide receiver seeking more respect and money elsewhere. Meyers will play his former team in Week 6 when the Raiders take on the Patriots, and there'll be plenty of love lost between the two sides.
Even Belichick can't argue with the facts: Meyers led the team's receiving corps in catches and yards for three consecutive years; as a formerly undrafted player, his success story in New England could have made him a fan-favorite for years to come.
Instead, he left the Pats, a franchise with one of the worst records of developing receiving talent, and turned into a verifiable No. 2 threat behind Davante Adams in Vegas. Expect Meyers to do most of his talking on the field against his old team come Sunday.
