Matt Judon Is Fitting Right In With The Patriots
BOSTON (CBS) -- As one of New England's prized free agent signings over the offseason, Matt Judon is going to make a huge impact on the field. If his preseason play, and his success over his five years with the Baltimore Ravens, was any indicator, Judon is going to be a beast in the pass rush.
He has to wait a few more days to do his thing on the field, but he's already made a giant impact in the locker room. Mainly, it's a lot louder now that Matt Judon is around.
The silence in the locker room didn't sit well with Judon upon his arrival in New England. It's not that players weren't chatting with each other, but there was no real vibe to the room.
He changed that once training camp got underway, bringing in some speakers and taking over as the DJ of the Patriots locker room.
"At first there was no music in there. Everybody was headphones in. Now we're on the same vibe," Judon explained Thursday. "It set the mood for practice and the intensity for the day. We're going out there and I accept all requests."
Judon is certainly a character, with a much different personality than we're used to seeing from the usual cast of characters who play for Bill Belichick. But that isn't a bad thing for the Patriots.
"He definitely sets the whole mood for the defense as far as the music in the locker room," veteran linebacker Dont'a Hightower said of Judon. "He works hard and he has fun doing it. I think overall that's the one thing that guys really respect and appreciate from Judon."
That hard work has won him over much more than the soundtracks he provides every day, though the beats are a welcome addition too. Asked about his great fit both in the locker room and in the team's defensive scheme, Judon explained it by flipping the script on an old break-up adage, simply saying "it's not me, it's them."
"I really haven't changed anything I've done since I've been in the league. I come in, play music, talk trash. I'm loud," he said. "And I believe they all just accepted."
He has no trouble getting to opposing quarterbacks when he's on the field, but Judon said the focus in camp has been getting communication down with his new team.
"Communication is key for any defense. We all want to be loud and we want to make sure we're all on one accord," he said. "That's how you have good defenses and don't make mistakes. If 10 people are right out there and one is wrong, it can lead to big plays. And we don't want to give up big plays."
After spending his entire career for one organization, things have certainly been different as he gets acclimated to life in New England. But once things kick off against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday afternoon, Judon will get back to doing what he does best: Making a quarterback's life absolutely miserable.
"Same ball game," he said. "Everyone has to be on one accord, and when it comes down to it, make the play."
