Morning Sports Update
“There’s a reason why they’re fans. Everybody can say what they think that we should be doing.”
Patriots linebacker calls out fans: Jahlani Tavai became the latest Patriots player to criticize the team’s fans for booing and their chants calling for Jerod Mayo to be fired during their loss against the Chargers last Saturday.
In an interview with WEEI’s “The Greg Hill Show” on Friday, the Patriots linebacker said that he was bothered by the booing and that he told a fan to quiet down in a “non-polite way” during the loss to the Chargers.
“I don’t know,” Tavai responded when asked if he understood why fans might be booing the team. “There’s a reason why they’re fans. Everybody can say what they think that we should be doing. In the long end, they’re not qualified to do what Mayo is doing, or whatever the Pats are doing.
“The fans, I appreciate them at times, but sometimes they just have to know their place and just understand that it’s a work in progress. Rome wasn’t built in one day.”
Tavai is the third player on the Patriots’ defense to call out the fans for their boos and chants since the loss to the Chargers. Patriots defensive tackle Davon Godchaux called the chants “ridiculous” and took issue with the booing.
“Me just being in New England for four years, could have been better class by the fans with the booing and stuff like that,” Godchaux said on Saturday. “It is embarrassing, I get it, but at the end of the day, you’re fighting for pride at the end of the day.”
Patriots defensive end Deatrich Wise Jr. said that while he has “respect” for the fans, he and the team didn’t “appreciate the boos.”
“We don’t appreciate the outburst [against Mayo],” Wise said after the Chargers loss.
Mayo, meanwhile, said that he had already spoken with Tavai when he met with reporters this morning. The Patriots coach didn’t say what he told Tavai, but he defended the fans’ right to criticize the team.
“I’ve said this before, I’m a fan of different things too,” Mayo said. “Look, no one’s happy with our record. No one’s happy where we are right now. And the fans, they pay the bills, and they come in here and they demand us to go out there and perform well. And we haven’t done that this year. So look, I understand.”
The Patriots have gone through a lot of lumps in Mayo’s first season as head coach. At 3-13, they’re currently projected to have the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. They’re also in the midst of a six-game losing streak, their second such streak of the season.
Tavai said he’s been disappointed with how the season has gone, though he’s hopeful that the team is building toward something bigger in the future.
“There have been teams that have shown — a work-in-progress team; the Lions, four years ago when Dan Campbell took over, what was their record [3-13-1]? Then these past two years, I’m not trying to compare, but that’s a goal we’re trying to develop here in this new regime,” Tavai said. “That’s the mission — to get to how the Lions are improving. That’s the type of team we see ourselves as — a playoff contender. Unfortunately, that’s not this year.”
Trivia: Tavai leads the Patriots in tackles this season with 111 combined tackles. The player with the second-most has 32 fewer total tackles. Who is that player?
(Hint: He was drafted by the Patriots)
Schedule and results
The Celtics began their four-game road trip against some of the best Western Conference teams on a high note on Thursday. They took down the Timberwolves, 118-115. Boston will take on Houston at 8 p.m. on Friday. The Celtics also have a matchup against the top-seeded Thunder at 3:30 p.m. on Sunday.
Back on the East Coast, the Bruins lost to the Rangers, 2-1, in New York on Thursday. They’ll take on the first-place Maple Leafs in Toronto on Saturday at 7 p.m. They’ll also host the Islanders on Sunday at 6 p.m.
Finally, the Patriots’ 2024 season will come to an end on Sunday. They host the playoff-bound Bills, who aren’t expected to play their starters for long. Drake Maye, meanwhile, is expected to start for the Patriots. Kick-off is set for 1 p.m.
Read more from Boston.com
Mike Vrabel to interview with the Jets
Former Patriots star and Titans coach Mike Vrabel has his first interview of the 2025 coaching cycle set. He’ll interview with the Jets on Friday, The Athletic‘s Zack Rosenblatt reported. Vrabel, who was fire by the Titans following the 2023 season, has been viewed as one of the top coaches on the market ahead of the offseason. He’s also been speculated as a possible replacement for Jerod Mayo if the Patriots were to get rid of the first-year coach.
Jimmy Butler reportedly requests trade from Heat
Butler’s days in South Beach might be numbered. The Heat star has indicated to the team that he’d like to be traded, ESPN’s Shams Charania and Brian Windhorst reported.
There had been trade rumors surrounding Butler recently as he’s sought a contract extension, but the Heat wouldn’t give him one. Heat president Pat Riley previously said the team had no intention of trading him. However, the situation seemed to come to a head after Butler’s nine-point performance in the Heat’s loss to the Pacers on Thursday.
“I want to see me getting my joy back playing basketball. Wherever that may be, we’ll find out here pretty soon,” Butler told reporters. “I’m happy here off the court, but I want to be back to somewhat dominant, I want to hoop and I want to help this team win, and right now I’m not doing it.”
Daily highlight
Steph Curry has seemingly accomplished everything possible behind the 3-point line in his illustrious career. But the Warriors star had a new first on Thursday night. He made all eight 3-point attempts he took in the Warriors’ 139-105 win over the 76ers. It marked the most amount of 3-point makes he’s had in a game without a miss in his career. It was also one shy of the NBA record for the most 3-point makes without a miss in a game.
On this day
One-hundred-five years ago Friday, the public learned of the trade that would change the course of baseball history. The Red Sox officially announced that they had sold Babe Ruth to the Yankees. Red Sox owner Harry Frazee received $125,000 plus a $350,000 loan for Ruth, who was seeking a new contract at the time.
The deal began the Yankees’ championship dominance, winning four World Series titles with Ruth. It also marked the start of the “Curse of the Bambino,” with the Yankees winning 26 championships after the trade before the Red Sox won again in 2004.
Trivia answer: Kyle Dugger; 79 total tackles
Sign up for Patriots updates🏈
Get breaking news and analysis delivered to your inbox during football season.