There was plenty of New England Patriots talk Monday on Capitol Hill.
FBI director James Comey testified before a House committee investigating possible Russian activity in the U.S. presidential election. For Patriots fans, however, a metaphor that Comey used involving the Super Bowl champions likely will raise some eyebrows.
Comey used the metaphor to describe the intelligence community’s findings as it investigated the hacking allegations, with Hillary Clinton playing the role of the Patriots and Russian president Vladimir Putin playing the role of, well, you can pretty much use anyone outside of New England at this point.
Oddly enough, this wasn’t the only Patriots-FBI connection Monday. News broke Monday morning that authorities located Patriots quarterback Tom Brady’s missing Super Bowl jersey, reportedly finding it in Mexico. With the case extending outside the country, the FBI became involved.
However, Comey — who’s a Giants fan — wouldn’t take credit on behalf of his agency for its role in helping to find the missing jerseys. Comey actually used a comment from Arkansas congressman Rick Crawford to further clarify his Patriots hate, which actually had more to do with respect than, you know, actual hate.
We wonder if White House Press Secretary — and noted Patriots fan — Sean Spicer will have an official response in the coming days. (We’re kidding. Lighten up.)
This isn’t the first time Comey has mentioned his hatred for the Patriots. In fact, it’s not even the first time he’s done so this month. At a March 7 ribbon-cutting ceremony at a new FBI facility outside Boston, Comey talked a little pigskin.
“I should get to an issue that I know is on the minds of many and that is controversial so I should speak to it directly,” Comey said, teasing comments about President Donald Trump’s claims that Barack Obama wiretapped him. “I am a New York Giants fan. … As much I as I despise the New England Patriots — I despise them really, if I’m truthful with myself because they represent excellence. Sustained excellence.”
Of course, Comey’s Giants twice got the last laugh against the Patriots in Super Bowls in the last decade, which he made sure to mention at the ceremony in March.
And if that wasn’t enough football/politics crossover, Monday’s hearing comes after Patriots owner Robert Kraft spent the weekend in Florida with Trump.
Photo via Jack Gruber/USA TODAY via USA TODAY Sports Images
