You Mad, Bro? A Recap of Terrell Suggs’ Beef with the Patriots
Baltimore Ravens pass rusher Terrell Suggs is the sparkplug of the Ravens/Patriots rivalry, and he’s up to his old tricks again this week in advance of the AFC Divisional Round game this Saturday at Gillette Stadium.
“We all know the matchup the NFL wants to see. Something for the TV. Something for the sponsors,’’ Suggs told NFL.com, hinting at a possible Brady/Manning AFC Championship Game matchup that would be a ratings machine. “But we have faith in ourselves and Ravens Nation, and we’ll see if we can disrupt some people’s plans.’’
It’s not the first time Suggs has thrown shade at the Patriots or Tom Brady, and it’s actually pretty mild in comparison to some of his previous remarks over the years.
Suggs infamously voted for then-Bills quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick on his Pro Bowl ballot in 2010, excluding Brady (36 TDs, 4 INTs, and an MVP Award that season) altogether. When asked to justify omitting the best player in the league that season from his ballot, Suggs opined that “He [Brady] probably didn’t vote for me either.’’
However childish and innocent the feud was at that point, Suggs took it to another level after the Ravens won the AFC Championship Game in Foxboro in January of 2013, spitting the type of competitive vitriol that would make Richard Sherman blush.
“Those are the most arrogant pricks in the world, starting with coach Belichick on down,’’ Suggs said. “That’s funny, ever since Spy Gate they haven’t been able to win.’’
Spy Gate seems to be Suggs’ ace in the hole when discussing the Patriots’ three Super Bowl wins in the early 2000’s. He’s also on record with ESPN.com as saying Brady’s three rings are “questionable’’ because of the Tuck Rule.
The “Suggs vs. Patriots’’ tour kept rolling in February of 2013, following the Ravens Super Bowl win over San Francisco. Suggs said he didn’t think the Patriots “respected anybody’’ and guaranteed in the same ESPN article that “the other 31 teams hate the New England Patriots.’’
Suggs also criticized the NFL for enacting the “Brady Rule’’ forbidding defensive players from hitting quarterbacks below the knee. Brady tore his ACL and missed the 2008 season after being hit low (and legally, at the time) by Bernard Pollard of the Chiefs.
“Years before, I hit Drew Brees and accidentally tore his knee up,’’ Suggs said in interview for an ESPN E:60 profile. “No rule was made. Of all the quarterbacks that got their knees blown out when they got hit – Carson Palmer blew his knee out – but then one guy got hit and changed the whole rule for the NFL?’’
Suggs was not done with Brady in that E:60 interview. When asked to describe his feelings on Brady, Suggs stated, “I don’t think that’s appropriate for camera. I don’t like him. He don’t like me. I don’t like his hair. I don’t like his smug attitude.’’
Suggs didn’t just call out Brady in the interview. He also took shots at the Patriots’ organization and fans of the team. “Who pisses you off most in the NFL?’’ he is asked. “New England,’’ Suggs replies. “It just seems like there’s a lot of suspicious stuff going on over there.’’ Suggs went on to argue that the “Spy Gate’’ scandal was a bigger infraction against the NFL than the bounty program in New Orleans.
When Patriots fans were mentioned, Suggs was quick to chirp, “Yeah they hate Suggs and I hate them.’’
You can view the full E:60 interview below.
[fragment number=0]
So there you have it. The Patriots are cheaters, Tom Brady gets preferential treatment, and Terrell Suggs hates all the Patriots fans. At least according to Terrell Suggs.
To comment, please create a screen name in your profile
To comment, please verify your email address
Conversation
This discussion has ended. Please join elsewhere on Boston.com