Brandon Spikes’ breakup with the New England Patriots wasn’t the most dramatic split in franchise history, but things could get very interesting now that the emotional linebacker calls Buffalo home.
Spikes spoke to the media Monday about reuniting with former Patriots coach Pepper Johnson and joining the club that made his cousin, Takeo Spikes, a household name. As for what happened in New England?
“I just want to put that all behind,” said Spikes, a 2010 second-round draft pick out of Florida. “It just feels great to have a new beginning.”
Spikes is expecting his 2014 matchups with his new division rivals to be emotional. In fact, he’s thinking about them while both awake and asleep.
“It’s going to be emotional for me,” Spikes said of playing the Patriots at least twice in 2014. “Right now I’ve had dreams about it already. It’s going to be an emotional game; I’m probably going to be in tears the entire game. I know it’s going to be a battle; it’s definitely going to be a battle, at all times. I’m looking forward to that, and I’ll probably dream about it every night until it comes this fall.”
Spikes registered 174 tackles in 51 games over the last four seasons, and the Patriots placed him on season-ending injured reserve after he reportedly was late for a team meeting in January. His Patriots career ended with a blemish, but Spikes doesn’t let business interfere with the relationships he made in New England.
“I definitely won’t leave those guys behind,” he said. “They will always be friends of mine. I spoke to them a few times already, and I actually was just hanging out with Jamie Collins yesterday. They’ll definitely be friends of mine forever. I’ll be in contact, and I’ll never forget them.”
