Sweater Weather: Why Patriots' Matthew Judon Wears Hoodie at Training Camp
Bill Belichick's lasting legacy on the NFL coaching world might well come in the fashion realm: the long-tenured head coach of the New England Patriots have done most of his work in a variety of hoodies, some short-sleeved, some downtrodden ... all bearing the famed "Flying Elvis" emblem alongside the manufacturer's mark.
His 24 years wearing the Patriots' top headset have given the look time to fester and ingrain upon the minds of the football-loving public. For Patriots fans, it's a tradition, a time-honored ritual, and perhaps a popular, last-minute Halloween costume. Beyond Foxborough, it's more of a harbinger of doom.
But perhaps even Belichick is probably wondering why Matthew Judon's wearing a hoodie at this time of year.
One could assume that the linebacker, set to embark on his third season in New England, is attempting to pay homage to his head coach, recently standing by the long-standing Patriots boss when one of his former defenders tried to turn him against management. Judon, however, surprisingly declared that it's more of a tribute to one of the Patriots' more historically stubborn enemies.
"I've seen one of the greatest pass rushers in my eyes do it: Terrell Suggs," Judon said, per Michael Hurley of CBS Boston. "I give a lot of my game to him, because I stole from him. So this is one thing I stole from him."
Suggs played 17 NFL seasons, all but one with the Baltimore Ravens. Baltimore and New England constantly fought for AFC supremacy at the turn of the century. The Ravens, regularly showcasing long-lasting defensive talents like Suggs, Ray Lewis, Ed Reed, and more, arguably served as the Patriots dynasty's biggest threat within the conference.
Judon's first three NFL seasons were staged alongside Suggs' last three in Baltimore. When Suggs came to 2017's training camp overweight, he used the Mid-Atlantic heat to his advantage and partook in practices wearing a thick sweatshirt, a practice that obviously left an impression on his young teammate.
The plan played out perfectly: at age 35, Suggs had 11 sacks en route to his final Pro Bowl nomination.
"I was like man, if he can do just that little thing and just just forget about the elements, forget about how hot he is, forget about if he's cold, forget about like the circumstances that's going around and just focus on football, like that's what I want to steal."
Sweltering mid-summer temperatures are one of the more intolerable traditions of NFL training camp, but it might as well be winter for Judon and his practice attire. The pass rusher routinely wears the hooded sweatshirt beneath his practice jersey, appearing none worse for the wear as he tries to build upon a 15.5-sack season.
Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags
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