Ex-Patriot Welker Thinks Deflated Footballs Have No Real Benefits
Joe Calabro, GoLocalProv Sports Team
Ex-Patriot Welker Thinks Deflated Footballs Have No Real Benefits
Welker, a free agent searching for a new team, spent the past two seasons with the Denver Broncos. Last season, Welker caught 49 passes for 464 yards and two touchdowns, a major drop off from the 2013 season where he hauled in 73 balls for 778 yards and ten touchdowns.
While Welker searches for a new team, his former team, the New England Patriots are once again surrounded by controversy due to Deflategate and the Wells Report that came with it. The Wells Report found that the Patriots and Quarterback Tom Brady intentionally deflated footballs or at least had general knowledge of the process.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST"For me personally. I didn't see too much of a difference. I don't see the real benefits of it. It's just part of the game I guess," Welker said about deflated footballs.
The Patriots were docked two draft picks, a first rounder in 2016 and a fourth round pick in 2017 and the organization was fined $1 million.
Quarterback Tom Brady has been suspended for the first four games of the season but is appealing his suspension. Brady's appeal will be heard starting on June 23.
"Its just something I don't want to comment on at this time. I wish him the best of course. I really just don't have much thought on it," Welker said about his former quarterback.
While Welker has moved on from his days with the Patriots, even helping to beat them in the 2013 AFC Championship game in Denver, he still looks back at his time with New England positively.
"I think I learned a lot, as far as about the game, about game planning for different teams. I think just the game in general and how the NFL works. I think I will take a lot from it as far as how things are done here. But I think that you take a piece from everywhere you go, what works what doesn't work and I'll take a lot from my time in New England," Welker said.
While with New England, Welker was a key part of the Patriots offense, pulling in at least 100 receptions and netting over 1,000 yards receiving in every season except 2010.
Concussions
During his time in Denver, Welker was plagued by concussions. Last season, Welker played 14 games for the Broncos, missing the first two games of the season In 2013, Welker missed the first three games before joining Denver for a playoff run which saw them go to the Super Bowl.
Welker's multiple concussions had rumors of his retirement swirling.
"That never entered my mind. I was just trying to recover, get ready and get back on the field as soon as I could. Guys have been playing with concussions for over 50 years and have done some great stuff in life after having concussions. Now it's coming to light and is a big deal. Unfortunately for me I guess," said Welker.
Over the last couple of seasons, the NFL has taken several steps to prevent concussions, including coming down hard on head shots and cutting back kick returns as well as ramping up concussion testing during games and the weeks leading up to them.
"I think it's much better, I do. I think you do have to protect the players and everything else. I think its much better. We have a good deal in place and the main thing is protecting the players," Welker said.
Now 34, Welker is currently a free agent, looking for a fifth team to play for in his career.
"I know I want to be in a good situation with a good team. A winning team and a good situation. That's probably the most important thing for me," Welker said of his future.
In a career that has seen 890 catches for 9,822 yards and 50 touchdowns, a healthy Welker sits on the free agent market hoping to play another season.
"I'm feeling good, feeling really good, definitely want to play another season if someone will have me."
Welker was in the area to help promote his hair doctor, Doctor Robert Leonard of Leonard Hair Transplant Associates.
The New England Patriots - Greatest Team Ever
10.
Free Agency/Salary Cap Era Dominance
Since the beginning of the free agency and salary cap era in 1993, no coach and team has been more well-known for shrewd moves to stay under the salary cap and bringing in free agents to supplement the talent on his team, and win at the same time, as the New England Patriots.
In 2001, coach Belichick brought in free agents David Patten, Larry Izzo, Mike Vrabel, Antowain Smith, Bryan Cox and Roman Phifer. The Patriots won their first Super Bowl.
Belichick continued to bring in major free agents for the Patriots’ other Super Bowl runs. Whether it was Roosevelt Colvin and Rodney Harrison in 2003 or trading for Corey Dillon in 2004.
Belichick has also not been afraid to let star players walk. This includes allowing Ty Law to leave in 2005, Willie McGinest and Adam Vinatieri to leave and trading Deion Branch in 2006 or letting Asante Samuel leave in 2008.
Belichick has also not been afraid to pull the trigger on major trades just prior to the season starting. Trading players like Lawyer Milloy, Richard Seymour and Logan Mankins less than a month before the start of those respective seasons.
Despite all of these moves, the Patriots have continued to win year in and year out.
9.
12 Straight Seasons of At Least 10 Wins Or More
The New England Patriots have had at least 10 wins in a season for 12 straight seasons. The last time the Patriots didn't have at least 10 wins in a season was in 2002 when they went 9-7 the year after winning a Super Bowl.
In this stretch, New England has won 16 games once, 12 games four times, 14 games three times, 13 and 11 games once, and ten games two times.
8.
As the Game Changes, The Patriots Still Win.
When the Patriots started this incredible run in 2001, the game was much different then it is today.
The running game was still emphasized and defense's were allowed to be much more physical then they are in the game today.
Today's game features rules that are structured to help the offense score more points and teams, including the Patriots, have had to change the way they play defense and the way they hit, due to the emphasis on concussion prevention.
Through all the rule changes that the league has undergone, the Patriots have still won, year in and year out.
7.
14 Consecutive Winning Seasons
In Bill Belichick's first season in New England, 2000, the Patriots went 5-11 and missed the playoffs for the second straight season. Since then, the Patriots have not had a losing season, not even a .500 season, they've had 14 straight winning seasons.
One of the most impressive seasons still remains the 2008 season. Tom Brady got hurt in the first game and was out for the season and Matt Cassell stepped in to replace him.
The Patriots went 11-5 that year but missed the playoffs due to a tie breaker that they lost.
That particular season has to be one of Bill Belichicks greatest jobs in his time here. Nobody saw the Patriots going 11-5 that season after Brady went down.
6.
12 Division Titles - 6 Straight
The New England Patriots have now won 12 AFC East titles in 14 years and are currently in the middle of a stretch in which they have won six straight.
With the rest of the AFC East still a disaster, one has to believe that the Pats will be adding a few more titles before the Belichick-Brady era is over.
5.
9 Conference Championship Appearances
In the Brady/Belichick era, the Patriots have been to nine AFC Championship games and have won six of them.
New England is currently in a stretch in which they have gone to four straight championship games, three of which were held at Gillette Stadium.
To put this in perspective, Peyton Manning has lost in the first round nine times in his career and the New York Jets have only ever been to four Conference Championship games in franchise history since the AFL - NFL merger.
To be a final four team in nine of 14 seasons is pretty impressive for the New England Patriots, or for that matter, any other team.
4.
6 Conference Championships
The Patriots have been the best team in the AFC six times in the 14 year run of Bill Belichick and Tom Brady.
Of the six games the Patriots won, they were favored in four of them and four of the six games were played at Gillette Stadium.
The six conference Championship wins are as follows:
- 2001- At Pittsburgh - Pats win 24-17
- 2003- vs. Colts - Pats Win 24-14
- 2004- At Pittsburgh - Pats Win 41-27
- 2007- vs. San Diego - Pats Win 21-12
- 2011- vs. Baltimore - Pats Win 23-20
- 2015- vs. Colts - Pats Win 45-7
Photo courtesy of Au Kirk, Flickr
3.
4 Rings - 6 Appearances
In the Patriots six appearences in the Super Bowl, they have come out of it with four championships, including a stretch of three in four years.
The Patriots Super Bowl Wins are as follows:
2001 vs. St. Louis Rams - Pats Win 20-17
2003 vs. Carolina - Pats Win 32-29
2004 vs. Philidelphia- Pats Win 24-21
2015 vs. Seattle - Pats Win 28-24
2.
Tom Brady - Greatest QB ever
Tom Brady now has four Super Bowl rings in his career tieing his boyhood idle Joe Montana and is 4-2 in the Super Bowl and has three Super Bowl MVP's.
Brady is the all-time leader in playoff passing yards with over 7,000 yards through the air and is the all -time leader in playoff wins with 21. Brady is 21-8 in the playoffs all-time.
Brady also has the most touchdown passes in Super Bowl history with 13 and has the most touchdown passes in playoff history with 53.
Brady is in the top five in career passing yards with over 53,000 and has a good chance to be in the top three by the time his career is over.
Tom Brady has 45 career game winning drives, which is tied for fourth all-time, and Brady is also fourth with 35 come from behind wins, 9 of which came in the playoffs.
The New England Patriots are the greatest team of all-time because they have the greatest quarterback of all time, Tom Brady.
1.
Bill Belichick - Greatest Coach Ever
The number one reason why the New England Patriots (2001-14) are the greatest team of all time is because they have the greatest coach of all time, Bill Belichick.
Belichick now has four Super Bowl Rings which ties him for the most all-time with Chuck Noll, who did it with the Pittsburgh Steelers from 1969-91. However, Belichick gets the edge because he has done it in the salary cap/free agency era, where his teams have undergone significant changes on a year to year basis.
Despite the various roster changes from year to year, Belichick has still won and is by far the most dominant coach of this era.
Bill Belichick has 22 playoff wins which is already more than any other coach in the history of the league and is 103 games over the .500 mark (212-109) in his coaching career.
Bill Belichick, the greatest coach of the greatest team of all time.
