The New England Patriots traded the seven-time Pro Bowl receiver on Wednesday, giving Moss the exit he expected all along and sending him back to the place where he became a superstar.
“He is a tremendous competitor and was an integral member of the Vikings organization,” Vikings coach Brad Childress said in a statement. “Once again, ownership was completely supportive of our efforts to add a valuable football player to our team. I know the entire organization is thrilled to welcome him back to the Twin Cities.”
ESPN and Foxsports.com reported the Patriots will receive a third-round draft pick.
The Vikings play at the New York Jets on Monday night, and they are only three and a half weeks away from an Oct. 31 game in Foxborough, Mass., against the Patriots.
“In this business, there are complex and often difficult decisions, but it is my responsibility to make them based on what I feel is best for our football team, in both the short term and long term,” Patriots coach Bill Belichick said. “I am grateful for the opportunity to have coached Randy Moss and aside from facing him as an opponent, I wish him the very best for the remainder of his Hall of Fame career.”Moss will go from catching passes from Tom Brady in New England to hauling in Brett Favre’s throws with the Vikings, who desperately needed a downfield threat after Pro Bowl receiver Sidney Rice had hip surgery in August.The Patriots traded low for Randy Moss back during the 2007 NFL Draft. The Patriots sent a 4th Round pick to the Raiders for a guy that was in his prime and still could get it done. The question, of course, was would Moss be motivated to play. In his two seasons in Oakland, Moss caught 102 passes – combined – and by the end of his second year was a shell of the player that took the NFL by storm for the Vikings from 1998-2004. Moss, after all, wason pace to break many of Jerry Rice’s records. He was that good, that early.
What the Patriots knew, however, was that Moss was in the final year of his contract. If he wanted a big payday – and the respect and legacy that is only reserved for Super Bowl winners, Moss needed to play hard. The Patriots took advantage, bought low, and added an extremely talented, yet combustible, player to the locker room.
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