One of the main non-#DeflateGate questions this week relates to whether any sort of winking and/or nodding occurred in connection running back LeGarrette Blount’s release from the Steelers and return to the Patriots.
Carolyn Manno of NBCSN’s Pro Football Talk asked Blount directly — and pointedly — about whether Blount is bothered by the suspicion that he tried to get fired by the Steelers in November, paving the way for his return to New England.
“No it doesn’t bother me, people are going to assume what they are going to assume, I can’t change their minds,” Blount said.
“Are they right?” Manno asked.
“It doesn’t matter.”
“But it does matter,” Manno replied.
“Why does it matter?”
“Because if they’re right then that wouldn’t have been allowed.”
“It doesn’t matter,” Blount said. “People don’t know what they are taking about they just know what they think and everyone is entitled to their opinion whether it’s right or wrong.”
That’s hardly a convincing denial from Blount, who would have been wiser to say that he passed through waivers after he was released and any team could have claimed him and no one did. Instead, three teams made waiver claims for running back Ben Tate, who’d been released by the Browns the same day.
If it was a scam, it was perfectly executed. Blount quit on the Steelers one day after Patriots running back Jonas Gray torched the Colts for 201 yards, creating the clear impression that the Patriots would have no desire to reunite with Blount.