How a heated moment during the game almost resulted in Bill Belichick trading for two-time Pro Bowl wide out
During the New England Patriots’ game against the Miami Dolphins, head coach Bill Belichick displays his emotions. Image courtesy of Getty Images and Peter Joneleit/Icon Sportswire
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When Tom Brady was the starting quarterback for the New England Patriots, he had numerous top weapons at his disposal. But as it happens, Adam Thielen, a wide receiver who currently plays for the Carolina Panthers, is one wideout with whom he almost teamed up.
During a recent episode of the Pardon My Take podcast, Thielen discussed how a heated altercation with former Pats head coach Bill Belichick on the field almost resulted in the Pro Bowl wide receiver signing with New England shortly after.
News from the New England Patriots: Adam Thielen and Bill Belichick’s Sidelined Argument
When Thielen was still the #1 wide receiver for the Minnesota Vikings, the incident occurred several years ago. During a 2018 Minnesota vs. New England game, Thielen went up to Belichick on the sidelines to express his displeasure with the fiery quarterback’s use of a player injury as an excuse to raise a challenge flag:
Before declaring that everything between him and Belichick is now history, Thielen stated, “I just let (Belichick) know I didn’t feel like that was the right thing to do, but it is what it is” (h/t Inside the Vikings).
It seems like Belichick was drawn to Thielen’s competitive fire. To the extent that, in the words of the former wide receiver for the Vikings, the Pats made an attempt to trade for him a few months later: “I think (Belichick) had reached out to the (Vikings) about, you know, possibly trading for me, trying to get me to come there,” Thielen said. “So it must have made a good impression; he must have enjoyed that level of competitiveness or tenacity.”
Of course, Thielen’s tough demeanor wasn’t the only thing that impressed Belichick and the Patriots. After all, Thielen was a top wide receiver in the NFL at the time, which made the Brady-led offense in New England want to target him.
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