New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick was rebuffed by Randy Moss during training camp when he approached the wide receiver about a contract extension, The Boston Globe reported Sunday.
Citing a source close to Moss, The Globe reported the conversation was the beginning of the end of the receiver's days as a Patriot. Once quarterback Tom Brady signed off on the trade, according to the newspaper, Moss was shipped to the Minnesota Vikings.
The source told The Globe that Belichick initially told Moss, who's in the final year of his three-year contract, that he wouldn't be a part of the team's future plans.
But when Moss reported to camp in excellent shape, the source said Belichick reversed course and approached Moss about another contract. Moss apparently told Belichick it wasn't the right time to discuss a deal and that they should talk after the season.
The rest is history. Moss made his now-infamous post-game rant following the Patriots' season-opening victory over the Cincinnati Bengals in which he said he wasn't appreciated, then went without a catch during a Monday night game against the Miami Dolphins three weeks later.
Belichick indicated to reporters earlier this week that Brady didn't have a say in the deal, but The Globe reported that the quarterback "gave the deal his thumbs-up" before it was officially announced Wednesday.
In an interview that aired Sunday on "NFL GameDay Morning," Belichick reiterated to NFL Network's Michael Lombardi that the decision to trade Moss was strictly based on football.
"It was really just a combination of things," Belichick said. "Part of it was Randy, part of it was our football team, part of it was the opportunity to make the trade. Just in the end, when you put it all together, we felt it was the best thing to do for our football team."
Belichick also refuted the notion that he is giving up on a season in which he is fielding a young, developing Patriots defense.
"We're here to win, and that's what we're going to do," he said.
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