Morning sports update: Lawyer Milloy admitted he was ‘disgusted’ with his Patriots release in 2003
"It took me awhile to even mention the Patriots the way it went down," said Milloy.
On Monday, Governor Charlie Baker offered Massachusetts’ plan to begin reopening after multiple weeks of shutdown due to the coronavirus pandemic.
But for those watching to hear if professional sports teams would receive indication on when they can start to get back to regular activities, there was no definitive answer.
Lawyer Milloy on getting released by the Patriots: Former safety Lawyer Milloy was drafted by the Patriots in 1996, playing the first seven years of his career in New England. Between 1998 and 2002, Milloy was named to the Pro Bowl four times.
Yet days before the start of the 2003 season, he was released. It remains one of the more unexpected and jarring decisions made by Bill Belichick during his time as head coach of the Patriots, though New England’s Super Bowl run that season appeared to vindicate the move.
In a recent interview with WEEI’s “Ordway, Merloni & Fauria,” Milloy shared his thoughts on how the release happened, and what he thinks about it.
“I was given an ultimatum: Either take a pay cut or leave it,” Milloy explained. “That was up to discussion. I had good representation with Carl Poston and went the whole offseason — the last time I talked to Bill was in June right before the veteran [time] when you can go out and seek another team and we had a discussion. He said basically, ‘the worst-case scenario is you play out this year and we have to re-visit it after the season.’
“So me and my representation were in agreement with that and the Friday after the last preseason game he pulled me into the office and gives me the same ultimatum: I have until Monday to think about it,” Milloy continued. “Guys get released or have these situations come up all the time, it was just the way he handled it, trying to wait until the Monday before the first game, which really disgusted me.”
For the longtime Patriots safety, who helped New England win its first Super Bowl in the culmination of the 2001 season, it was less about the business side of the decision and more about Belichick’s manner.
“It took me awhile to even mention the Patriots the way it went down,” said Milloy.
But in recent years, he admitted that his opinion of Belichick has improved again. Milloy noted how he was welcomed back in New England “with open arms with Belichick.”
Milloy played eight more seasons in the NFL after getting released by the Patriots, including years in Buffalo, Atlanta, and Seattle.
Trivia: The Red Sox selected Jon Lester in the second round of the 2002 MLB draft. What future National League MVP was also taken in that round?
(Answer at the bottom).
Hint: He has only played for one team in his career, and it’s in the NL Central.
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On this day: In 1987, Larry Bird recorded a triple double (18 points, 16 rebounds, 11 assists) and Robert Parish scored 31 points as the Celtics beat the Pistons in Game 1 of what would prove to be a memorable Eastern Conference Finals.
Classic rewind: “The Steal” by Dave Roberts in the 9th inning of Game 4 of the 2004 American League Championship Series was named the best Fenway Park moment in a recent list from MLB.com’s Will Leitch.
Trivia answer: Joey Votto
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