New England Patriots defensive coordinator Matt Patricia took a shot at Roger Goodell with his fashion choice Monday, and the NFL commissioner reportedly was not happy about it.
On the Patriots’ flight home from Super Bowl LI, Patricia sported a Barstool Sports T-shirt that depicted Goodell as a clown.
Unsurprisingly, that did not sit well with the commish, an “ownership source who had been in contact with big wigs at the league office” told CBSSports.com’s Jason La Canfora on Friday.
“The T-shirt really bothered him,” the source said. “The fact that (Patriots owner Robert) Kraft didn’t stop him from wearing that ticked some people off, but did they really think he’s going to protect Goodell after all of this?”
Goodell, who remains a villain in many Patriots fans’ eyes for his role in Deflategate, was mercilessly booed Sunday night as he presented the Patriots with the Lombardi Trophy at NRG Stadium. In the days since, several Patriots players have trolled the commissioner, including wide receiver Danny Amendola and tight end Rob Gronkowski.
According to another of La Canfora’s ownership sources, the relationship between the Patriots and the NFL likely will remain strained until the league parts ways with general counsel Jeff Pash, who also played a major role in Deflategate.
“Robert still wants Pash out,” the source said. “The only way there will ever be a full reconnect between the Patriots and Goodell is if Pash was no longer there.”
Thumbnail photo via Kirby Lee/USA TODAY Sports Images
