Broncos defensive end Derek Wolfe said this week that he hates the Patriots, which created plenty of headlines suggesting that Wolfe was talking trash about Sunday’s opponent.
In reality, Wolfe made clear that what he hates about the Patriots is how good they are. And that’s what he respects about the Patriots as well.
“I hate everything about them,” Wolfe said, via the Denver Post. “They’re always in my way. They’re always in my way to get what I want. I’ve got a ton of respect for the whole organization. They’ve got great players — Tom Brady’s a great player. Bill Belichick’s a great coach. I’ve got a ton of respect for them. I just hate them.”
So although the Broncos have made some noise this week, calling Brady a crybaby and talking about hitting Rob Gronkowski low, there’s little doubt that their hatred for their opponent is rooted in respect for the Patriots’ accomplishments.