Floyd stays focused since joining team
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — A month ago, Michael Floyd was living a glamorous life in Phoenix as a millionaire star receiver, driving a luxury Escalade and thinking about all of the money he could make this spring in free agency.
These days, he is holed up in a hotel three minutes from Gillette Stadium, keeping life as simple as possible. He has no family or friends in the area, eats most of his meals at the Patriots’ practice facility and has few belongings other than what he could pack in a suitcase.
“On a big vacation,” Floyd said Wednesday as the Patriots prepared for Saturday’s playoff game against the Texans. “I like it. It’s kind of a place for me. Not too many things to do around here. That’s good for me.”
‘Super extreme DUI’
Floyd’s life has been pretty quiet for the last four weeks, and that suits him just fine. His world was turned upside-down on Dec. 12 when Scottsdale, Ariz., police found him asleep at the wheel at a traffic light and subsequently charged him with five counts related to drunk driving, the most significant of which is a “super extreme DUI” charge for having a blood-alcohol concentration over 0.20 (police say Floyd’s was 0.217).
The Cardinals abruptly released Floyd, and he was claimed by the Patriots off waivers the next day.
If convicted, Floyd will serve a mandatory 45 days in jail and face other penalties. But he is free to play for the Patriots until his legal situation is resolved, and he isn’t due back in court until Feb. 24 for a pre-trial hearing.
So now he spends long days between Gillette Stadium and his hotel room at Patriot Place, cramming to learn his playbook and chip in during the playoff run. He said he likes his distraction-free life, but it’s more about fitting in with the Patriots, less about avoiding the party lifestyle.
“I don’t have family out here with me,” he said. “I don’t have people calling me all day. There’s a lot of people I knew out there (in Phoenix) than I do out here, so that’s just what it is.
“It’s great to be strictly focused on the playbook and getting to learn this offense for sure. That takes up most of my time, really.”
Floyd said he hasn’t been to Boston since he arrived here almost a month ago.
“I don’t want to,” he said. “I’m not into going sightseeing. I don’t really care. I’m here for one reason.”
He doesn’t want to talk about the arrest. When asked if he has had a drink of alcohol since coming to New England, Floyd ended the interview. Before that, he said he’s living a simple life right now.
“I kind of act like I’m broke, so, that’s how I am,” he said. “I can really actually just focus in on football and I can get to work in less than three minutes, so I really like it.”
Impressive on field
Though Floyd came to New England with off-field baggage, he certainly has done a good job of endearing himself to his new teammates and fans. Playing 49 snaps against the Dolphins two weeks ago, he showed off an array of impressive skills, from his toe-tapping catch on the sideline to the 14-yard touchdown on which he dragged four defenders into the end zone to the crushing block he laid on a cornerback to spring Julian Edelman for a 77yard touchdown.
“He’s tough,” Edelman said. “He’s physical. He can be in the room anytime I’m here. I like him.”
Floyd said he has enjoyed his Patriot experience so far. How could he not, considering he has been here for three victories and gets to latch onto the team for a potential Super Bowl run?
“I feel good here,” he said. “I feel home, I feel welcomed. And I think that’s just with the guys here and the coaches and how this organization is.
“They brought me in here and I felt very comfortable — actually, like I’ve been here for quite some time. That’s always a good feeling when a new guy is coming in and you get that feeling from the team.”