New York Jets wide receiver Demaryius Thomas spent nearly the entire summer with the New England Patriots which to him felt like he had done for nothing.
The Patriots released Thomas as part of the final cuts. However he was re-signed by the team shortly after with N’Keal Harry going on injured reserve.
The former Denver Bronco felt primed to make an impact. But two weeks later, head coach Bill Belichick told him he had been traded to one of the team’s biggest rivals.
“Coach [Belichick] came up to me and was like, ‘Uh, we got too many guys. We can’t get the ball around enough and we’re going to trade you to the Jets,'” told Manish Mehta of New York Daily News. “And that was that. Ain’t no reason to yell. They’ve won championships without me. I was only trying to be a part of something that was going to be good when I was there. They’re doing a hell of a job.
Thomas could not help but feel that the Patriots had insulted him and his ability to contribute.
“It was insulting, for sure. Once I got cut, I could have just [went to the Jets] and not stayed there and re-sign,” Thomas said. “When they re-signed me, I was thinking that I was good. Two weeks later, I was gone. So it’s like, ‘Why did I waste my time?” Because at the end of the day, it was kind of a waste of time for me.”
Thomas caught seven passes for 87 yards and two scores in the final preseason game showing fans what he can offer even after tearing his achilles.
The Patriots however saw fit to bring Antonio Brown in instead leading to Thomas being traded away for a meager sixth round draft pick.
Thomas claimed the team had told him to stick around.
“It was disrespectful to me,” Thomas added. “Like, you know, you could trust me and I could trust you. Like you told me when you cut me at [final cuts], sit around you’ll bring me back. And I stayed. I could have easily become a Jet once I got cut. I could have been here the next day after I got released. But I chose to stay.”
The Patriots cut Brown after one game and 11 days with the team. Meanwhile, Thomas caught four passes for over 60 yards in the Jet’s stunning victory over the Dallas Cowboys.
Thomas will take on his former team Monday night at 8:15 p.m.
