Here’s one tradition N’Keal Harry is desperate to sidestep.
The New England Patriots wide receiver begged Tom Brady not to give him an awful rookie haircut during training camp. Brady in previous seasons has inflicted terrible cuts upon the heads of his first-year teammates and he threatened Neal with one earlier this year. Neal believed Brady was joking until Kristine Leahy assured him the hazing ritual is a real thing during his appearance on FOX Sports’ “Fair Game.”
"@TomBrady… Please don't cut my hair!" 🤣😭@NkealHarry15 reacts to @KristineLeahy telling him about the @Patriots rookie haircut tradition: pic.twitter.com/eBdy3f20yn
— Fair Game (@FairGameonFS1) July 22, 2019
“Honestly, what I’m doing my first thing is begging,” Neal said. “I’m going to beg them not to cut my hair.
He then obliged Leahy’s request to hear him beg his way out of the rookie haircut.
“Tom, look. Please don’t cut my hair, Tom,” Neal pleaded. “It’s my confidence, you want me to play better, you might as well keep my hair on the top of my head.
“I’ll do anything. If you want me to pay everybody in the locker room, I’ll pay you all off.
Neal’s payment offer stunned Leahy.
“I’ll give them $100 each,” Neal said. “I’ll give everybody on the team $100 not to cut my hair.”
Patriots rookies reported to Gillette Stadium for training camp Monday. Veterans will arrive Thursday. Hopefully Neal will have practiced his retelling of the story of Samson by then.
