Kayshon Boutte is headed to a new team, but he made sure his time in New England ended with a thank you.
Two days after the New England Patriots traded the fourth-year wide receiver to the Houston Texans, Boutte posted a lengthy farewell message on Instagram on Wednesday, Aug. 26.
He thanked the organization, coaches and supporters who followed his rise from a sixth-round draft pick to a key part of the Patriots’ offense.
“New England, it’s hard to put into words what these last few years have meant to me,” Boutte wrote.
He called being selected with the 187th pick in the 2023 NFL Draft “a dream come true” and thanked Robert Kraft, Bill Belichick, Mike Vrabel, Todd Downing and Josh McDaniels for helping shape his career.
“Once a Patriot, always grateful,” he wrote.
Boutte Thanks Patriots Fans, Coaches After Trade
GettyFormer Patriots and current Houston Texans wide receiver Kayshon Boutte at a press conference.
The message came after New England officially sent Boutte to Houston in exchange for safety Jaylen Reed and a 2028 seventh-round draft pick.
The Patriots announced the deal Tuesday after reports of the agreement surfaced one day earlier.
Boutte leaves after developing from a seldom-used rookie into one of New England’s most productive downfield threats. He finished the 2025 regular season with 33 receptions for 551 yards and six touchdowns, averaging 16.7 yards per catch. That average ranked fifth in the NFL.
His postseason yielded contribution during New England’s run to the Super Bowl. Boutte caught nine passes for 168 yards and a touchdown across four playoff games.
His place in the offense became less certain this offseason.
New England added A.J. Brown and Romeo Doubs, leaving a congested receiver room around Boutte as he entered the final season of his rookie contract.
Patriots.com projected Brown and Doubs as the base starters, with Boutte potentially moving into a backup role after playing 67.4% of the offensive snaps in 2025.
That competition helped make a trade possible, but Boutte’s goodbye suggests there are few hard feelings over how the situation ended.
Boutte Says Patriots ‘Did Right by Me’
GettyFOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS – OCTOBER 13: Kayshon Boutte #9 of the New England Patriots celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Houston Texans during the second quarter at Gillette Stadium on October 13, 2024 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
The closing portion of Boutte’s message harped on why the trade happened in the end.
Boutte revealed that he had requested a trade in March, months before the Patriots eventually reached an agreement with Houston. He thanked New England for “doing right by me” and sending him to an organization he “truly wanted to be a part of.”
Patriots executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf said Tuesday that the team remained comfortable making the deal even though Houston could become an AFC playoff competitor.
Wolf pointed to New England’s depth at receiver and said the team had followed Reed since before the 2025 draft.
For Boutte, the move brings an end to a three-year Patriots tenure in which he totaled 78 catches for 1,159 yards and nine touchdowns in 34 regular-season games.
His final words to New England were centered on appreciation rather than frustration.
Boutte said he would “always look back” at his Patriots tenure with gratitude and respect before turning his attention toward Houston.
“I’m incredibly excited for what’s ahead with the Houston Texans,” Boutte wrote.
Ex-Patriots WR Kayshon Boutte Sends Heartfelt Message Following Trade