Wednesday, August 7, 2013

Welker still worries what Belichick thinks

BY NICK ST. DENIS

Under Bill Belichick, the New England Patriots are instructed to say a whole lot of nothing. Receiver Wes Welker struggled with that a bit.

Whether it was his infamous "foot" press conference mocking New York Jets coach Rex Ryan a couple years ago or his ESPN interview tour last offseason during which he regularly discussed his contract dispute, the Patriots' most prolific receiver of the past decade always seemed to be on thin ice.

Now that Welker is with another organization, he's still apparently having a hard time getting out of Belichick's perpetual shadow.

“When I’m answering questions from the Denver media, I’m not worried about what the Broncos’ people are going to think,” Welker recently told Sports Illustrated, via WEEI. “I’m worried about what Belichick will think. Isn’t that crazy?”

It kind of is. But it kind of isn't.

Welker, who signed with the Broncos this offseason after New England opted to drag on negotiations for almost two years, said dealing with Belichick toward the end of Welker's tenure in Foxborough "was just kind of hard."

“One of those deals where you have to endure him, put up with him," he said. " … But he does it to everybody, it’s the way he is.”

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