For three full seasons, the New England Patriots and their fans experienced one of the all-time great wide receivers Randy Moss.
During that stretch from 2007 through the first four games of 2010, Moss recorded 259 receptions for 3,904 yards and 50 touchdowns. His best showing came during the record-setting year on offense in 2007 when he set the NFL record for most touchdown catches in a season with 23.
Moss’ time as a Patriot came to an abrupt and unceremonious conclusion in 2010 when prior to the season opener, Moss said he “did not feel wanted” since he entered a contract year with no extension offer coming from the team.
That October, Karen Guregian of The Boston Hearld reported that Moss had requested a trade after week one. By week four, Moss had zero receptions in a game for the only time as a Patriot.
Two days later, the Patriots traded Moss back to the Minnesota Vikings for a third-round draft pick in 2011 and a seventh in 2012.
Moss completed his NFL career with additional stints in Tennessee with the Titans and San Francisco 49ers in 2012 before retiring for good after appearing in Super Bowl XLVII.
Fast forward to this past Monday, Moss revealed on the Manningcast that he almost returned to the Patriots one final time.
“The crazy thing about it was that I had an opportunity to New England right before I retired,” Moss said. “I just thought it was just time, man. I just had more things to do – mainly, off the field. It was just a good time for me to leave the game.”
Moss earned induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2018, but despite the end in New England, he still dedicated part of his speech to Bill Belichick, who made the trip to Canton.
“Last but not least, I’m not going to forget about you. Bill Belichick, I’m not going to forget about you. I want to thank you for being a friend when it wasn’t always about football. You showed me how much I love the game, you challenged me every day to go out there and be great. You challenged me to be great, coach, and I’m sorry we did not bring it home.”
Although a reunion never materialized, it appears Moss remains appreciative of the time he spent as a Patriot.
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Interesting enough all roads lead back to Coach Belichick by many former Patriots players. It’s interesting that a lot of former players acknowledge their admiration and friendship after the end of their career. Just goes to show you how Coach gets the most out of players by offering support to them on and off the field. Just one of his methods of coaching. Thanks for the thought provoking article!