Welker shows love to Kraft and Belichick
Wide receiver Wes Welker made his return to Foxboro last night as a key member of the Denver Broncos offense that leads the league in nearly every statistic. Welker's return to the Patriots' home stadium was somewhat overshadowed by the 'Brady vs. Manning' headlines, but that does not mean anything to him. What did mean something to him was the final exchange between himself and his former head coach, Bill Belichick, which he initially thought would be awkward:
“I saw him after the game and it wasn’t awkward at all,” Welker said. “It was good to see him. I have a lot of respect for him as a coach and he did a good job getting them ready.”
Belichick is known for his business-like approach that results in cut-throat decisions that are strictly focused on the team, not individuals (ask Lawyer Milloy). Welker was just one of the more recent casualties when the team chose not to counter-offer the Broncos contract offer.
Before the game, the organization decided to create a video tribute to the wide receiver who spent 6 seasons in New England while setting various receiving records. Welker was grateful and got the chance to thank team owner Robert Kraft for that:
“It was great seeing Mr. Kraft and I have a lot of respect for him as a man and as an owner of the team,” Welker said. “It was very classy of them to do something like (the video tribute), and I appreciated it very much.”
Now, Robert Kraft as opposed to Belichick is more open about his personal relationship with Patriots players, but ultimately decides not to be the one with the final say. Kraft was very public about his desire to keep Welker, though that did not happen. The dynamic of Welker's relationship with the team can be summed up with one word; respect. Though things did not necessarily end on the best terms, both sides understand that the NFL is still a business and there is no need for hard feelings.
Anthony Aidonidis
@aidonidis18
