Jabrill Peppers apologizes to Patriots coaches, teammates for remarks،
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – New England Patriots safety Jabrill Peppers apologized to his teammates Friday for any distraction caused by remarks he made to New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley on the field after last Sunday’s match.
The day after the Patriots’ 10-7 loss to the Giants, Peppers went to hug Barkley, his former teammate, and said, “You’re lucky we’re assholes.” » The comment was picked up by an NFL Films microphone worn by the running back.
On Friday, Peppers was asked about the exchange, which went viral on social media.
“I just want to apologize to my teammates and coaches for having to answer questions about this,” Peppers said. “We have more important things to worry about than being cited on a hot mic. Bottom line, we’re 2-9, we have a top 5 draft pick that didn’t come via trade and we all know the standard, we all know what it’s supposed to look like, but it’s not there yet.
“There’s no shooting at anyone in the locker room. I said ‘we’. We own that. I own that.
Peppers, who played alongside Barkley with the Giants from 2019-21, was one of the bright spots in the Patriots’ disappointing season. He started all 11 games, playing 94.9% of the defensive snaps, while totaling 59 tackles and a team-high six passes defended.
He established himself as a team leader in his second season with the franchise and emphasized Friday that he wants to “be part of the solution.”
As for the hot mic, Peppers didn’t take back what he said, but expressed regret that it was made public.
“I’m a professional, so things like this should never happen,” he said. “No need to blame anyone but myself. It’s my seventh year in the league, I’m 28, I know better. It was a bit of frustration. I know I’m smiling but I was very, very angry. It’s a [result] that I wanted, but ultimately we’re not doing enough to make it happen right now. …
“The guys here, they know me. I speak my mind. I got caught on the hot mic and I didn’t even give Saquon a chance to tell me. [he was wearing it]. I don’t think it was fair that they published that, because a lot of things are said on this football field – and I know there are several people listening to the match on the microphone and at the end of the match which they do not stage. I was a little surprised by this, but ultimately it’s mine. I own everything I say and I don’t run from it. »
Peppers credited Bill Belichick as “one of the best coaches of all time”, as well as the weekly game plans developed by his assistants, while lamenting that the players did not execute them consistently enough.
“We have great players in the locker room, but every team has great players,” he said. “There is a lot of parity in the league. If these great players are not performing, this team is not a good team.
“But that doesn’t reflect the character of the men we have in this locker room. We all come to work with the will and the desire to do everything we can to help this team win. The ball just doesn’t spin in our favor. and that is the responsibility of no one but us.”
The Patriots host the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday.
