Jabrill Peppers issues heartfelt apology to Patriots coaches and teammates for controversial remarks

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — New England Patriots safety Jabrill Peppers expressed regret on Friday, apologizing to his teammates for the attention caused by his on-field exchange with New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley following last Sunday’s game.

After the Patriots’ 10-7 loss to the Giants, Peppers approached Barkley, his former teammate, and said: “You lucky we ass.” This comment was captured by an NFL Films microphone worn by Barkley and quickly went viral.

Addressing the incident on Friday, Peppers apologized for diverting attention from matters of greater significance. “I just want to apologize to my teammates and coaches for even having to answer questions about that,” Peppers said. “We have more important things to worry about than me being quoted on a hot mic. At the end of the day, we’re 2-9, we have a top-5 pick in the draft that didn’t come via trade and we all know the standard. We all know what it’s supposed to look like, and it’s not that right now.”

“I just want to apologize to my teammates and coaches for even having to answer questions about that,” Peppers said. “We have more important things to worry about than me being quoted on a hot mic. At the end of the day, we’re 2-9, we have a top-5 pick in the draft that didn’t come via trade and we all know the standard. We all know what it’s supposed to look like, and it’s not that right now.”

Peppers, who played alongside Barkley with the Giants from 2019 to 2021, has stood out during the Patriots’ challenging season. He has started all 11 games, playing 94.9% of the defensive snaps, and has totaled 59 tackles and a team-high six passes defended.

Peppers desired to emphasize his commitment to being part of the solution to the team’s struggles. “I want to be part of the solution,” he stressed.

Referring to the hot mic incident, Peppers acknowledged the frustration but regretted its public release. “I’m a professional, so things like that should never happen,” he said. “No need to blame anyone but myself. This is my seventh year in the league, I’m 28 years old, I know better. That was a little frustration. I know I’m smiling but I was very, very angry. That’s one [result] that I wanted, but at the end of the day, we’re not doing enough to get it done right now.”

Peppers also credited the coaching staff, particularly Bill Belichick, and the skills of his teammates, while expressing disappointment that execution has not been consistent enough. “We have great players in the locker room, but every team has great players,” he said. “There is great parity across the league. If those great players aren’t executing, that team isn’t a good team.”

The Patriots are scheduled to host the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday.