Foxboro, Mass. — It’s nearly impossible to watch the 2021 New England Patriots without noticing Matt Judon, someone who sure knows how to stand out.
His performance — team-leading 4 1/2 sacks, 16 tackles, eight quarterback hits — has much to do with it. But so, too, does his appearance, including the flair with which he plays the game.
Judon has worn red sleeves in every game this season. They’re so bright that you occasionally find yourself watching him instead of the opposing quarterback.
Judon, ever-entertaining, was asked Thursday about why he wears sleeves.
“On turf … I just get cut up all the time,” Judon said. “I got fragile skin, I guess. … Good skin, It get cut up on turf, so I was like, ‘skip this.’ “
Judon added: I can’t be buying new bedsheets every night … Come home, there’s blood all over my bedsheets. So, I started wearing sleeves, and here I wear the red ones.”
Fair enough. And what about that sack dance?
You know, this one:
Judon was coy when asked for the backstory, but the ex-Baltimore Raven did reveal former teammate Mark Ingram and outside linebacker coach Drew Wilkins as sources of inspiration.
“That’s just my sack celebration,” Judon said. “Actually, I would always be dancing. Mark Ingram be like, ‘Man, you gotta do one sack celebration everytime you do a sack.’ So, I chose that one.
“My old coach know where it’s from. Drew knows where it’s from.”
So the mystery continues. We’ll get to the bottom of it someday.
Judon and the 1-3 Patriots will face the Texans in Houston on Sunday.
