Getty NKeal Harry
The New England Patriots‘ wide receiver N’Keal Harry has had an underwhelming career thus far, and he’s heard his share of criticism. He might be at a crossroads, but it’s safe to say he’s tired of the haters.
Follow the Heavy on Patriots Facebook page for the latest breaking news, rumors, and content!
Harry on Social Media
There is far too much talk about Harry that isn’t directly related to 100-yard receiving games, multiple-TD performances, and defenses being forced to gameplan to stop the 6’4″ 230-pound pass-catcher.
Harry is still a very young man at 23 (his birthday was December 17) and the constant criticism coupled with injuries and the learning curve from college to the NFL appears to have gotten the best of him at times.
In a short, but seemingly relevant social media post, Harry appears to take a shot at his haters.
“We really in the game, they just talk from the bleachers…”🤧
The post appears to quote a lyric from a song, or from a conversation, but I haven’t heard the song and a quick Google search didn’t turn anything up.
In any case, the words don’t require any musical connection to comprehend. Harry wants everyone who is evaluating him from the bleachers to know, they clearly see things differently.
Harry’s Stats Through Nearly 2 Seasons
Through almost two seasons, Harry has played in just 18 games.
He’s made 41 receptions for 382 yards and four touchdowns. When you couple the time he’s missed due to injury with the low statistical output, it’s hard not to acknowledge things have been disappointing so far.
Recently, there was a bit of controversy as Harry’s trainer, Rischad Whitfield aka Footwork King, raised a few eyebrows with comments that implied Patriots quarterback Cam Newton was to blame for Harry’s struggles this season.
For The Win’s Henry McKenna reported the story. Whitfield took umbrage with the quotes and/or the packaging of the words and he challenged McKenna’s piece. McKenna stood by his reporting and the authenticity of the Whitfield quote.
The following day, Harry addressed the matter during a meeting with the press, and he said he also spoke to Newton to clear the air with his teammate. Again, not the ideal conversation we should be having about Harry in the midst of a 6-7 season with stats that are underwhelming.
While Harry’s play appears to be trending slightly positive with a touchdown in the Week 13 win over the Los Angeles Chargers and a team-high 49 yards in the loss to the Los Angeles Rams, I’m sure he’d rather not be distracted by this small fire.
If Harry plays well and helps the Patriots keep their slim playoff hopes alive on Sunday with a win over the Miami Dolphins, this and more of the criticism hurled his way will be buried a bit.
It won’t be enough to completely change the narrative that is slanting hard toward calling him a bust, but it will build on the momentum he has established in the past two weeks.
Perhaps then, the folks in the bleachers will better appreciate his work on the field.
Also Read:
- Patriots Advised to Make Bold Draft-Day Trade for Rookie QB
- Former Patriots Exec Says Team Might Have Interest in Former No. 1 Pick
- Patriots Get Bad Injury News Ahead of Crucial Battle Vs. Dolphins
- Former No. 2 Pick Linked to Patriots as Potential Answer at QB in 2021
- Patriots Advised to Pursue Pro-Bowl QB in Offseason Trade