Tim Patrick, Broncos Teammates Slam Pro Football Focus on Twitter Over Perceived Snub
Sites like Pro Football Focus have been busy compiling lists of elite performers for the 2020 season. The latest featured a rundown of the most sure-handed wide receivers in the NFL, according to the site's data.
It wasn't surprising to see PFF's list include many familiar names like Cole Beasley, DeAndre Hopkins, and Davante Adams. However, there was one, gaping, glaring omission.
Tim Patrick.
Despite not having one single drop during his 15 starts last season for the Denver Broncos, Patrick didn't make the list. Why? Per the threshold the analytics site opted to use for this list, Patrick failed to qualify.
Patrick’s 79 targets resulted in a career-best 51 receptions for 742 yards and a team-leading six touchdown catches. Still, he narrowly missed out on account of PFF's list for... not being targeted enough? Fellow Bronco Phillip Lindsay said it best, PFF 'only sees what they want to see.'
Patrick is among just seven NFL receivers to post a 0.0 drop percentage.
PFF’s failure to clearly lay out their qualifying criteria led to Patrick taking to Twitter to fire back about the snub. And his teammates closed ranks around him.
Several Broncos chimed in defending Patrick and blasting the leading analytics site. Guard Dalton Risner even called PFF "fake news."
Patrick will undoubtedly use the lack of recognition to fuel his fire ahead of next season. As a soon-to-be restricted free agent, the Broncos are expected to tender Patrick, which means he's likely to be back in the Orange and Blue in 2021.
His sudden emergence has already won him the respect and support of his own locker room, and that bodes well for Patrick as he enters the offseason looking for a new contract, even if it comes via an RFA tender — which still would represent a massive raise even for just one year.
Lists by PFF's ilk are perennial fodder for fans to scroll through when football is off the menu but outside of a few darlings over the years, like Von Miller, Chris Harris, Jr., Matt Paradis, and Justin Simmons, the advanced analytics site has a growing reputation for being 'Bronco haters.'
As for Patrick, securing that crucial long-term deal is probably a lot further up his list of priorities but it is the offseason and he has a little extra time on his hands to nuke PFF from orbit on Twitter.
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