Wes Welker: I "put up with" Belichick, and Tom Brady is "a slave to the best moisturizers" [MERGED]

[Sperm Edwards]

http://espn.go.com/boston/nfl/story/_/id/9548477/wes-welker-says-bill-belichick-chided-front-new-england-patriots-teammates

 

Wes Welker: I 'put up with' Belichick

 

Updated: August 7, 2013, 8:29 PM ET

ESPNBoston.com

 

Denver Broncos wide receiver Wes Welker told Sports Illustrated that Bill Belichick was hard on him toward the end of his six-year run in New England, chiding him in front of teammates in a way the coach hadn't done previously.

 

"It was just kind of hard," Welker told the magazine in a story that appears in this week's edition, "one of those deals where you have to endure him, put up with him. ... But he does it to everybody. It's the way he is."

 

Welker's tenure in New England was already marked by its messy conclusion during the offseason, when the free-agent receiver joined the Broncos in a surprise move that resulted in a public squabble between Patriots owner Robert Kraft and Welker's reps.

 

"There were only two places I was going to play [Denver and New England], in my mind," Welker told SI.

 

"You always think you're one of those players who will be in one place the whole time, one of those guys they'll never let leave because you play hurt, do what it takes," he said. "But it's a different age. A lot of coaches, they like having younger guys. This game's so tough on you, it's all about, 'How many more hits can you take?' So they buy low, sell high. It's a numbers game."

 

Belichick disciplined Welker in early 2011, benching him for the first series of a playoff game against the New York Jets after the receiver made foot-related comments in a subtle dig at Jets coach Rex Ryan. Welker later said he regretted his comments.

 

Earlier this summer, Welker said he felt like he could be himself more with the Broncos than he did in New England, where Belichick instructs his players to say little to the media. Still, Welker acknowledged that even now in Denver he still thinks about his former coach when talking to reporters.

 

"When I'm answering questions from the Denver media, I'm not worried about what the Broncos' people are going to think," Welker told SI. "I'm worried about what Belichick will think. Isn't that crazy?"

 

Welker was the most productive receiver in the NFL while with the Patriots, surpassing 110 receptions and 1,100 yards in five of his six seasons there.

 

He told SI he still is adjusting to the Peyton Manning-led offense with the Broncos.

 

"In New England, if the middle of the field was closed, I'd run a seam route," he said. "It's something I've been doing for six years now, so I have to teach my brain to do it the way he's [Manning] expecting me to do it."

[Gangrene]

Peyton Manning and Wes Welker: A Fantasy Football Dream and Scary Real-Life Duo Chris Ballard, NFL,

 

 Senior writer Chris Ballard spent time with both Welker and Manning for this week’s issue and writes that the fantasy dream duo is now the league’s most frightening reality. Ballard also reveals more about the little known Welker.

 

Despite making five Pro Bowls, playing in two Super Bowls and setting an NFL record by catching more than 110 passes in each of his five seasons with the Patriots, Welker is still somewhat unknown. “After six seasons inside Bill Belichick’s cone of silence, in which thou shalt not raise any individual above the team, it turns out we know surprisingly little about Wes Welker,” writes Ballard. (PAGE 32)

 

Upon becoming a free agent last winter, Welker says “there were only two places I was going to play [Denver and New England], in my mind.” Once the Broncos came into the picture, Welker texted Manning, who enthusiastically wooed him. “Reminded me a little bit of the old college recruiting days,” Manning says. (PAGE 32) After being offered a two-year, $10 million deal from the Patriots, Welker decided to sign with Denver for two years and $12 million, joining Manning as two of the most unlikely free-agent pickups in sports history. Asked if they’ve talked about their parallel narratives, Manning pauses for a moment. “We haven’t really shared that,” he says. “I think each situation is unique. I know that was not an easy time for him. For me, I know I became more comfortable when I got back on the field.” (PAGE 38)

 

Toward the end in New England, Welker says Belichick got on him in a way he never had before, admonishing him in front of the team. “It was just kind of hard,” Welker says, “one of those deals where you have to endure him, put up with him. . . .But he does it to everybody, it’s the way he is.”  (PAGE 34) Belichick’s ways still affect Welker. “When I’m answering questions from the Denver media, I’m not worried about what the Broncos’ people are going to think,” Welker says. “I’m worried about what Belichick will think. Isn’t that crazy?” (PAGE 34)

 

So what does he think of his former quarterback, Tom Brady? At first, he couldn’t stand him. “He was very intense, wanted it done a certain way and was like, You can’t do it a different way,” says Welker. He says he soon came to appreciate Brady’s intensity; that he’s one of the toughest players in the NFL; that he is a slave to “the best moisturizers”; and that, in the end, he became a combination of Welker’s big brother and best friend. (PAGE 31)

 

Welker is working hard to learn Denver’s new offensive system. He says, “In New England, if the middle of the field was closed, I’d run a seam route. It’s something I’ve been doing for six years now, so I have to teach my brain to do it the way he’s [Manning] expecting me to do it.” Asked if he could still try to be creative on his routes, Welker laughs. “At the end of the day you run it the way he wants it, or he won’t throw it to you,” he says. (PAGE 38)

A key to Welker’s success is his renowned work ethic—he says his mantra is “Dominate every day”—and he believes it’s a key to his success .“Guys will play basketball with their boys and think that’s their workout for the day,” Welker says, amazed. “That’s not a workout. I wish they gave us more time off, to be honest. This is where I gain on other players.” (PAGE 33)

 

Welker, who has been doubted since his high school days, says he doesn’t mind flying under the radar. “Most people growing up just want to get famous, then they get famous and want to be normal people,” he says. “I blend in a lot more than most.” He adds, “Everything in the game is about making something look one way, and it actually being the other.” (PAGE 39)

[Sperm Edwards]

On the one hand I'm loving that Welker is crapping all over his time with New England & going the not-classy route that people here only allege ex-Jets do (Shaun Ellis, Chaz Schilens, plenty of others).

 

The flip-side is that Welker is a complete f*cking a$$hole:

 

The two people most responsible for making him a wealthy man are Bill Belichick and Tom Brady.  

 

Belichick plucked him in a bizarre acquisition from Miami (a 2nd and a 7th if I recall, after a sub-Kerley season) and paid him a ton of money before he had a chance to hit FA - where he'd have ended up with less.  

 

Then he gets to play with Tom Brady starting immediately (and Randy Moss who took 2 guys with him deep half the time).  

 

Then they kept him around for about $10M/year for another year or two after the first crazy deal was up.  

 

They gave him the chance to play hero in the superbowl and he dropped the pass (crappy pass that it was, it was catchable).  

 

And then less than 6 months after he's no longer a Patriot, the team that brought him fame and glory and a wealth of riches he'd never have gotten elsewhere, he publicly craps all over them.

[Greenseed4]

 

 

 "But it's a different age. A lot of coaches, they like having younger guys. This game's so tough on you, it's all about, 'How many more hits can you take?' So they buy low, sell high. It's a numbers game."

 

Didn't it come to light that Welker had a standing offer on the table (from NE) when they signed Amendola, and he left for more cash?  Am I remembering that correctly?

[Jetsfan80]

On the one hand I'm loving that Welker is crapping all over his time with New England & going the not-classy route that people here only allege ex-Jets do (Shaun Ellis, Chaz Schilens, plenty of others).

 

The flip-side is that Welker is a complete f*cking a$$hole:

 

The two people most responsible for making him a wealthy man are Bill Belichick and Tom Brady.  

 

Belichick plucked him in a bizarre acquisition from Miami (a 2nd and a 7th if I recall, after a sub-Kerley season) and paid him a ton of money before he had a chance to hit FA - where he'd have ended up with less.  

 

Then he gets to play with Tom Brady starting immediately (and Randy Moss who took 2 guys with him deep half the time).  

 

Then they kept him around for about $10M/year for another year or two after the first crazy deal was up.  

 

They gave him the chance to play hero in the superbowl and he dropped the pass (crappy pass that it was, it was catchable).  

 

And then less than 6 months after he's no longer a Patriot, the team that brought him fame and glory and a wealth of riches he'd never have gotten elsewhere, he publicly craps all over them.

 

Is this surprising Sperm?  Welker is a pro athlete with a "short guy" complex.  He once galled Aaron Hernandez into threatening to kill him (no surprise really given what we know, but no other Patriot got such a threat if I'm not mistaken).  He's going to rip on anyone who he thinks did him dirty. 

[Sperm Edwards]

Is this surprising Sperm?  Welker is a pro athlete with a "short guy" complex.  He once galled Aaron Hernandez into threatening to kill him (no surprise really given what we know, but no other Patriot got such a threat if I'm not mistaken).  He's going to rip on anyone who he thinks did him dirty. 

 

That part is BS.  He hazed him a little like all veterans do to all rookies (particularly to mid-round rookies).  Hernandez is a bitch who can't take it.  We'll see if he takes it like a bitch in prison.

 

On the quality human being scale, Welker >>>>>> Hernandez.  C'mon.  

 

You think Welker was the only one Hernandez threatened at one time or another? I don't.  I just think Welker is the most famous/noteworthy one.  Firstly because he was a star player, and second because he became an ex-player in the same off-season as Hernandez getting arrested for murder.

 

But when comparing Welker to actual modern-day humans rather than Neanderthals like Hernandez, he's a douche.

[Jetsfan80]

That part is BS.  He hazed him a little like all veterans do to all rookies (particularly to mid-round rookies).  Hernandez is a bitch who can't take it.  We'll see if he takes it like a bitch in prison.

 

On the quality human being scale, Welker >>>>>> Hernandez.  C'mon.  

 

You think Welker was the only one Hernandez threatened at one time or another? I don't.  I just think Welker is the most famous/noteworthy one.  Firstly because he was a star player, and second because he became an ex-player in the same off-season as Hernandez getting arrested for murder.

 

But when comparing Welker to actual modern-day humans rather than Neanderthals like Hernandez, he's a douche.

 

I'm not comparing Welker to Hernandez, I'm saying that its not surprising to me that Welker is a major a$$hole himself.  Not in the least.

[Sperm Edwards]

I'm not comparing Welker to Hernandez, I'm saying that its not surprising to me that Welker is a major a$$hole himself.  Not in the least.

 

GFY, dickbreath.

[Integrity28]

If this were an ex-Jets player talking about the Jets, the responses would be "he should stfu he was over-rated", but because it's an ex-Pats player... yeah.

[PFSIKH]

Didn't it come to light that Welker had a standing offer on the table (from NE) when they signed Amendola, and he left for more cash?  Am I remembering that correctly?

 

No.

 

Welker had a contract offer from the Patriots that was worth a little more than what the Broncos offered.

 

Soon after Welker left, the Patriots signed Amendola to a 5 year contract.

 

Whether Amendola would have received that contract if Wes had signed is up for debate.  It is clear, the Patriots' FO did not get a warm fuzzy with Wes and looked at Amendola prior to Wes moving on.

[Matt39]

Wes Welker? Seriously?