Don’t expect Adam Thielen and Bill Belichick to swap holiday cards this season.
The Vikings receiver didn’t hold back during Sunday’s game against the Patriots in Foxborough, exclaiming, “That’s bulls–t,” when Belichick threw the challenge flag after referees ruled that Minnesota converted on a fourth down in the fourth quarter.
But before New England’s coach challenged the play, Patriots safety Patrick Chung went down with an injury. The move didn’t sit well with Thielen, as it gave Belichick time to search his sock for the red flag. Upon hearing Thielen’s choice of words, Belichick fired back, “Shut the f–k up.”
“I just thought the play was cheap,” Thielen said following the Vikings’ 24-10 loss, according to NBC Sports Boston.
“I wasn’t directing it toward him. I just thought the play was cheap. I let my emotions get the best of me, because it’s a smart football play. If you are in that situation, why not? It’s not cheating, because there’s no rule against from a guy going down. I don’t know if he was hurt or not. He might have been hurt. That’s fine. It is what it is. Just interesting timing for a guy to go down when it’s a close play.”
Thielen also noted he wasn’t fazed by Belichick’s fiery response.
“No offense taken,” he said. “It’s football. There’s emotions.”
As for Belichick, when a reporter asked postgame if his exchange with Thielen was a form of a holiday greeting, he replied, “Yeah, pretty much.”
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