Kendrick Bourne wasn’t always certain he’s remain a New England Patriot.
After a productive first season in New England in 2021, Bourne found himself in Bill Belichick’s dog house the following year and his playing time and productivity suffered. Bur this past season he returned as the most trusted and consistent Patriots receiver until his season was cut short by an ACL injury on October 29th against the Dolphins.
Now Bourne is back after signing a 3 year $19.5 million deal which will keep him in Foxboro for the foreseeable future.
“I’m not chasing a billion dollars, I’m really chasing the legacy.” Bourne told the Boston Herald’s Andrew Callahan on the Pats Interference Podcast. “And I’ve been watching ‘Dynasty’ lately and just love the story the Patriots have and want to build something like that….and when he {Bourne’s agent] told me the numbers it was just heart warming.”
Bourne joined Callahan on the ‘Pats Interference’ Podcast on CLNS Media for an exclusive interview and his first public comments since signing his new deal. The Patriots receiver returns to the team during a transition period as the team has moved on from Bill Belichick after 23 seasons at the helm. Bourne, like many others agrees that change was necessary.
“It’s just crazy timing to be on Bill’s last team and be coming back and be part of the new culture. And that was one of the biggest triggers for me to come back because I believe its going to be very fruitful being a Patriot in this new era. I love Bill to death but it was time.”
Bourne also said one of the big draws to coming back was getting the play for first year coach Jerod Mayo, a player favorite in his time as a Patriots assistant.
“I think (Mayo)’s going to believe in us in a different way than it has been in the past,” he said. “I’m excited for that,” Bourne said. “You have to earn what you get, but at the same time, we believe in you. You’re on this team for a reason, and that’s what I think the mindset is going to be, the motto, is that we always believe in you, but you’ve got to earn what you’ve got and what you get. And I think it’s going to help a lot of our players.”
Bourne is currently rehabbing his injury and hopes to be full go by training camp though he did concede that he probably won’t participate in mini-camp in June. Bourne has been working out in Portland Oregon with Quarterback Bailey Zappe and fellow receivers Demario Douglas and Tyquan Thornton. Thornton raised eyebrows for looking positively jacked in the workout videos. Something KB hopes will allow the former second round pick to make the third year leap.
DeMario Douglas is also working out with Kendrick Bourne, Bailey Zappe, and Tyquan Thornton https://t.co/Vbm6RgRDAW pic.twitter.com/bHmb976K98
— Sophie Weller (@sophieewellerr) March 11, 2024
“He’s just eating, lifting weights. He’s trying to get to 200 lbs and build his durability,” Bourne said of the Patriots 3rd year receiver. “He was lifting before he came in here and just came in looking really big and I was like, bro, this tells me that you are locked in and you want something out of this year. Just proud of that guy and the progress he’s made so far.”
You can also listen and Subscribe to Pats Interference on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, and at CLNSMedia.com two times a week!
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