Eagles’ Blount goes into ‘enemy mode’
I don’t care about the Patriots, says running back ahead of Super Bowl battle with his ex-team
>> NEW YORK: LeGarrette Blount plans to draw the line between familiar and family in Super Bowl 52.
Blount, who signed with the Eagles as an unrestricted free agent after winning last year’s Super Bowl with the Patriots, and defensive end Chris Long went from New England to Philadelphia last spring. Long called his move to the Eagles a “business decision”.
Blount wanted to return to the Patriots as a free agent but a contract offer never materialised. After the Eagles pounded the Minnesota Vikings in the NFC Championship game, a chance at revenge did materialise.
“Straight enemy mode,” he said. “Ain’t no friends, no homies, none of that. We know what we’re going to do; they know what they’re going to do. We’ve got the same goal in mind. It ain’t no hard feelings. It just is what it is.”
Blount was part of a running back rotation with the Patriots and set career-high marks with 299 carries, 1,161 yards and 18 touchdowns in 2016.
“I don’t play for the Patriots anymore. I don’t watch the Patriots, I don’t care about the Patriots,” he said. “I focus on what we need to do to put us in the best position to win this game. I had a great time there last year, but last year is last year.”
Long shot down any questions about emotional entanglement players would face in the Reunion Bowl next Sunday in Minneapolis.
“I’ve played my brother before, so I’m not worried about playing former teammates,” said Long, who played against his Pro Bowl offensive lineman brother Kyle Long of the Chicago Bears in Week 12.
“They have the same objective we have. They’re a great football team, we’re a great football team. When the whistle blows, you’re not buddies anymore.”
Patriots coach Bill Belichick said this week Long could’ve had a spot with the Patriots but didn’t deny the Eagles were a better fit.
“Chris has a lot of good skills, but his overall skill set and experience is probably more in — it definitely is more in the system that he’s in than it was in our system,” Belichick said. “He did a great job for us.
“Look, there was no better teammate or guy that tried to embrace the programme than Chris, but in the end he probably has a better fit there for his skills and for this point in his career than maybe we had for him. I understand that. He probably made a good decision.”
Meanwhile, tight end Rob Gronkowski was still sidelined by a concussion in Thursday’s practice, the first on-field preparation for Super Bowl 52 for the New England Patriots.
Gronkowski suffered a concussion in the first half of Sunday’s AFC Championship game and is listed on the injury report with the injury. No update is expected on his condition until at least the weekend.
Quarterback Tom Brady, who played with a lacerated and bandaged right thumb against Jacksonville, is not on the injury report and took the field with the Patriots on Thursday wearing two gloves, just as he did last week.
Defensive end Deatrich Wise (concussion) and defensive tackle Malcom Brown (foot) were not spotted on Thursday during the portion of practice that was open to the media.
New England will practice in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, on Monday after arriving for Super Bowl 52.