With the New England Patriots having a reputation for being a rigid and rigid organization, the new acquisition, Kendrick Bourne, thought it was exactly how the organization was going to be. Instead, his assumptions quickly proved to be false.
After an initial meeting with the organization last week, the wide receiver found that behind closed doors, New England could be a little fun after all. Bourne, who signed a one-year contract with the organization, took his concerns aside after the initial meeting with the organization.
The wide receiver took 49 passes for 667 yards and two touchdowns for the 49ers last year.
“I thought when I entered the building for the first time, I thought I was going to be stuck, sort of seeing what it would be like, everyone looking at me, trainers meeting, but it was a mistake,” Bourne said. “They were relaxed there. They were relaxed, having fun. They know how they want it to look. They know that they want their organization to be serious, to excel. But behind closed doors, it’s quiet. It’s fun. There is laughter there. I was traveling. I thought it would just be me. … ”
“But first he entered the building, (head coach) Bill (Belichick) was super cool. (Owner) Robert Kraft was super cool. I just had a totally different view of the Patriots in my head. It was a happy medium. You can be a prankster, be nice, but we work a lot here. This overcomes foolishness, hard work. I kind of took the middle ground. Hang up a little, I can relax. I know when to call. ‘Okay, it’s time to be serious, time to work. We have to win this game or we have to finish this training or this weight training or whatever. ‘… Misunderstanding for me. I’m excited to be here. “
With the Patriots needing significant production in the position of wide receiver, Bourne figures to be a part of this. Now, he can relax a little, knowing that maybe the Patriots will have fun after all.