Patriots Cut Brandon Meriweather To Send Message To Randy Moss

FOXBORO--The Patriots raised a few eyebrows over the weekend by acquiring receiver Randy Moss and drafting Miami Hurricanes safety Brandon Meriweather, both of whom have a history of so-called “character issues.” The moves represented a departure for the Patriots, who have a reputation for acquiring high character players willing to buy into the team concept.

That’s why coach Bill Belichick set the tone early Monday by cutting Meriweather, sending a message to Moss that bad behavior will not be tolerated.

“We can’t have people on this team who are disruptive,” Belichick said at a press conference on Monday. “Obviously, Brandon has had some character issues in the past and we decided to let him go to avoid any future problems. Hopefully this will send a message to the rest of the team, especially certain players we acquired over the weekend, that bad behavior will not be tolerated from anybody. Just as an aside: How awesome am I? I mean, seriously. Do the rest of you losers want to just kiss my ring now or should we wait until after we win another Super Bowl?”

Belichick praised Meriweather’s athleticism and instincts, but said those qualities were less important than discipline, respect, and a team-first mentality.

“We drafted Brandon because of his potential to be an outstanding player in this league,” said Belichick. “But if we’ve proven anything over the years, it’s that physical talent is less important than using your head and making the right decisions. As for Randy, he needs to understand the high expectations we have for him. If he slips up once, he’s out of here. Then him and Meriweather can go off and shoot each other, or whatever the hell those bad character people do in their spare time.”

The stunning release of Meriweather has other Patriots draftees walking on egg shells, especially Kareem Brown, Meriweather’s teammate at Miami, whom the Patriots selected in the fourth round.

“Jesus, that was fast,” Brown said. “I know Brandon has a bad reputation, but you don’t expect someone to be cut after just one day. I guess they just don't like what they saw from him. That certainly puts the rest of us on notice. I know I’m going to be a frigging boy scout from here on in. I just hope they don’t find out about that time in college when I got drunk and took a crap in that chick’s laundry basket. No, wait a minute. That was Najeh Davenport. Forget it.”

While Belichick is being praised in the media for his unorthodox decision, some NFL personnel men are questioning the wisdom of wasting a number one draft choice just to send a message.

“I don’t know what Bill was thinking with this one,” said one AFC GM. “To me, it looks like a draft pick flushed down the toilet. If he wanted to send a message to Randy Moss, he should have just called him into the office and talked to him directly. Better yet, show him some of the stuff that the press has been saying about him. If finding out that Peter King doesn’t approve of your character doesn’t put the fear of God into you, I don’t know what will.”

As for Moss, he’s taking the news in stride. He appeared unmoved by the jettisoning of Meriweather in interviews on Monday and stated that his goal in signing with the Patriots is simple: to win a Super Bowl ring and ride off into the sunset.

“I’m not worried about what happened to this Meriweather kid,” Moss said. “It’s not my business what the team chooses to do with its draft choices. If they did it to send a message to me, well, whatever. I don’t need any messages. I know exactly what’s expected of me here. I’m here to run routes and catch passes and to give the coaching staff helpful tips on how to get me the ball more. And to all those folks out there who think I have character problems? Eat shit and die, motherfuckers. You’re going to see a new, improved Randy Moss this year.”

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