Wide receiver Kendrick Bourne had some initial apprehensions after learning that the New England Patriots were interested in hiring him as a free agent.
“(My agent) was saying to me, ‘They really like you. They have some good things to say about you. I was like, ‘What? New England? ‘”Bourne said on Monday in a video conference.
“I had a misconception about the whole place thinking it was too serious.”
After an initial visit with his new team last week, Bourne is no longer concerned after signing a three-year contract with the Patriots.
“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. ‘I know how to turn that switch. Football was meant to be fun and that’s the main thing. If you deviate completely from that, what are we playing for? Why are we doing this? That is my opinion on this. I was happy when I entered the building and saw people relaxed, laughing. Bill, he’s just a nice guy. Misunderstanding for me. I’m excited to be here. “
Belichick told a story about former Patriots wide receiver Randy Moss, who seems to have resonated with Bourne.
“They have a specific manual. They told me that training is difficult, ”said Bourne. “They are going to be tested every day with the manual, things like that. They will give you different looks, different types of things that you need to see.
“Bill told us a story about Randy Moss about how he got in and all he did was focus on the manual. It’s that simple. He did his best. That’s what I’m going to focus on. If I can go around comfortable knowing exactly what I need to do, I know that I will succeed. I believe a lot in my game. I think it will be an incredible year. The guys they put around us, the guys they’re bringing, will stick together. “
Bourne is coming out of his best season as a professional when he picked up 49 passes for 667 yards with two touchdowns in 2020 with the San Francisco 49ers. He could see his production increase with the Patriots with an increase in playing time, but to expect a 2007 campaign similar to Moss’s in New England would be foolhardy.
Adopting Moss’s approach would be Bourne’s smart move, however.
Miniature photo via Joe Camporeale / USA TODAY Sports Images