New England Patriots: How Heated In-Game Moment Nearly Led to Bill Belichick Trading for 2-Time Pro Bowl WR

Tom Brady had more than a few elite weapons during his time as the New England Patriots‘ cornerstone quarterback. As it turns out, however, one wideout that he nearly teamed up with is Adam Thielen, who now plies his trade with the Carolina Panthers.

In a recent appearance on the Pardon My Take podcast, Thielen revealed how a heated on-field moment with then Pats head coach Bill Belichick nearly led to the Pro Bowl wideout joining New England not long after the spat.

New England Patriots News: Adam Thielen’s Sidelined Altercation With Bill Belichick

The incident happened many years ago when Thielen was still the Minnesota Vikings’ top wideout. At one point during a 2018 game between Minnesota and New England, Thielen approached Belichick on the sidelines to let the feisty shot-caller know that he didn’t appreciate how the latter took advantage of a player injury to pull out a challenge flag:

“I just let (Belichick) know I didn’t feel like that was the right thing to do, but it is what it is,” Thielen said before saying everything is now water under the bridge between him and Belichick (h/t Inside the Vikings).

Bill Belichick Liked What He Saw

Apparently, Belichick liked the competitive fire he saw in Thielen. So much so, that according to the ex-Vikings WR, the Pats attempted to trade for him a few months later:

“I believe going into that next offseason, (Belichick) had reached out to the (Vikings) about, you know, possibly trading for me, trying to get me to come there,” Thielen said. “So it must have been like a good impression, he must have liked that kind of tenacity or competitiveness.”

Obviously, it’s not just Thielen’s no-nonsense attitude that left an impression on Belichick and the Patriots. After all, Thielen was one of the top wideouts in the league at that point in time, making him a prime target for New England’s Brady-led offense.

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