The New England Patriots were all but absent during the first round of the NFL Draft on Thursday, as the DeflateGate sanctions stripped them of their top pick in 2016. However, the Pats got on the board Friday, and they sent quite the message while doing so.
Former New England running back Kevin Faulk was given the honors of announcing the team’s third round pick at the draft in Chicago. Faulk, who won three Super Bowls with the Pats, made every effort to defend his former quarterback Tom Brady amidst the revived DeflateGate drama that may or may not cost Brady the first four games of next season.
Not only did Faulk wear a Brady jersey under his suit jacket as he walked out onto the stage to make the pick, he also made sure to throw a shoutout to the quarterback during the actual selection.
“The New England Patriots and Tom Brady select…”
As you’d imagine, that drew quite a reaction from the crowd on hand. There are likely two people who didn’t exactly love Faulk’s message — NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, who has tried his hardest to crack down hard on the Patriots during the air pressure saga, and Joe Thuney, who now has to live up to the pressure of being the first ever draft selection on record made by Tom Brady.
