The New England Patriots were kind of sore winners after the amazing comeback win in Super Bowl LI. But, the target of their celebration wasn’t the losing Atlanta Falcons, it was NFL commissioner Roger Goodell.
Goodell has been tough on the Patriots this year, what with the “Deflategate” scandal, for example. So, when the Patriots were heading to the Super Bowl, some wondered how Goodell would take it. Would he be resentful that the object of his discipline was in the biggest game in the world? Or would he celebrate like he would any other team? Goodell, at least publicly, took the high road, but some Patriots players and staff did not.
Matt Patricia, the Patriots’ defensive coordinator, was seen stepping off the team plane in a shirt that depicted Goodell as a clown. According to CBS Sports, Goodell was not pleased.
Looks like Matt Patricia is wearing a Goodell clown shirt as the team arrives back in Boston pic.twitter.com/YK8OPZ4Hoh
— Nick Emmons (@NickEmmonsTV) February 6, 2017
“The T-shirt really bothered him,” a source familiar with team ownership told CBS Sports. “The fact that [Patriots owner Robert] Kraft didn’t stop him from wearing that ticked some people off, but did they really think he’s going to protect Goodell after all of this?”
During the team’s victory parade in Boston, the divisive yet superhuman Patriots quarterback Tom Brady was seen with a shirt showing the team’s five Super Bowl rings on two cartoon hands. One hand had four rings, the other hand, just one on the middle finger. The shirt said “Roger that.”
Subtle.
