After spending his first four NFL seasons with the Panthers, new Patriots receiver Brandon LaFell wasn’t sure what to expect in New England. What he’s found is that Organized Team Activities are tougher.
“The way we work, the way we practice, is all new [to me]. It’s not like we didn’t work hard in Carolina, but we work a little harder here,” LaFell said, via Mike Reiss of ESPN.
Reiss notes that LaFell didn’t mean any disrespect to the Panthers, but LaFell is both impressed and perhaps a little intimidated by how tough OTAs are in New England. LaFell told MassLive.com that since signing with the Patriots, “It’s been the craziest two or three months of my life.” LaFell said famous teammates like Darrelle Revis (“He works his butt off and he makes you work too” and Tom Brady (“He demands the best out of everybody”) are treating summer OTAs with every bit the seriousness that they treat fall Sundays.
LaFell also said the Patriots are a challenging team to play for in the classroom.
“We’re throwing in a whole lot of plays every day,” LaFell said. “At the same time you’re a professional, man. You gotta be able to do it. There’s going to be times during the season when we come in on Monday and throw in eight plays, come back in on Thursday and throw in another eight. It’s pretty much getting us prepared for the season. The harder it is now, the easier it will be on Sunday. . . . Winning makes it all worth it.”
The Patriots have been showing for a decade and a half that their approach to the offseason pays off in the regular season.