Patriots linebacker Brandon Spikes was placed on IR after showing up late for practice on Friday, January 3. Unless he wasn’t.
In response to the report from Chris Mortensen of ESPN that Spikes’ snow-day tardiness resulted in the negotiated placement of the player on IR, Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald reports that Mortensen’s report is “absolutely untrue and unfounded.”
Meanwhile, Tom Curran of CSN New England reports that Spikes wasn’t late for the final bye-week practice. Per Curran, Spikes didn’t show up at all.
Per Mortensen, Spikes’ conduct was the final straw for coach Bill Belichick, who used injured reserve as an alternative to cutting Spikes.
If Spikes had been cut, he would have been subject to waivers -- and he could have been claimed by any of the other playoff teams.
A second-round pick in 2010 from Florida, Spikes is due to become a free agent in March.