Christian Barmore Sends Message To Patriots Fans Who Think Team Should Tank

The New England Patriots didn’t do any damage to their 2024 NFL Draft position despite beating the Pittsburgh Steelers last Thursday to improve their record to 3-10.

But if the Patriots, who hold the No. 2 overall pick going into Week 15, eke out another win or two over their final four regular-season games, they could see their draft slot significantly change.

Some Patriots fans are openly rooting for the wins to not come over this final stretch so that the team can get the highest pick possible to facilitate a quicker rebuild.

But Patriots defensive tackle Christian Barmore has a message for the portion of the New England fanbase who think the team should tank.

“We ain’t here just to give games up,” Barmore told reporters Monday, per team-provided video. “We’re here to play football.”

If Thursday was any indication, the Patriots aren’t just going to go through the motions to close out the season. New England had one of its better offensive performances, with Bailey Zappe receiving a second straight start, and most likely will want to try to keep that momentum going.

It will be tough sledding for the Patriots to try to claim wins, though, with the Kansas City Chiefs and rising Buffalo Bills still on the schedule. And heading to Denver — never an easy place to play — to face the Broncos on Christmas Eve is a difficult challenge, too.

It might just come down to the regular-season finale next month when the Patriots host the Jets, a team New England has won 15 straight games against. The outcome of that contest could decide if the Patriots land in the top two and be well-positioned to take a quarterback or if they have to start making other plans.