Patriots Ruthlessly Cut Tiquan Underwood Day Before Super Bowl

What are you doing the night before the night before the Super Bowl if you’re a member of the New York Giants or New England Patriots? Probably sitting in your room and either doing everything you can to not think about how important tomorrow’s game is or solely focusing on what role you’ll play tomorrow, no matter how big or small your part in the game is going to be.

That’s probably true for all of the combined active players for both teams. Unless you’re WR Tiquan Underwood of the Patriots… Or, should I say former Patriots WR Tiquan Underwood. Yup, you read that correctly. Less than 24 hours before the most important game of the season is about to get underway and the New England Patriots cut Underwood. The news of Underwood’s release and signing of practice squad DE Alex Silvestro being promoted to take his place leaked earlier tonight and blew up on Twitter and sports websites everywhere, including ours. Bill Belichick has been known around the NFL for not being the most trustworthy, forthcoming or loving guy but this is a little cold hearted, even for his standards.

But, the thing is, I get it. I understand. Why? Because football isn’t a game that’s more focused on feelings than winning. The bottom line to all 32 professional teams in the NFL is winning. Belichick and the other 31 head coaches will do anything to win; even if it means cutting a guy the night before the Super Bowl.

Underwood isn’t an integral core member of the Patriots that the Patriots must suit up in order to win. During the course of the regular season he caught three passes for 30 yards in the five games he played and has been a non-factor in the playoffs, except for his fade top hairstyle and the logo of the Patriots he got buzzed into his hair for the Super Bowl.

What a WR for DE swap means is that Belichick and his defensive staff have designed a game plan to attack the Giants’ offense and they needed another body on the D-line and they probably looked at their WR and DL depth charts and realized they needed more help in the trenches. It’s not like the Patriots don’t have any other receivers on the team. Chad Ochocinco will more than likely by activated for the Super Bowl after missing out on the AFC Championship game last week and should fill in for Underwood.

I feel bad for Underwood but he has taken the news pretty well according to his Twitter feed @TIUnderwood. Below are a few of his post-release Tweets:

"This Is Nothing But MOTIVATION….I Been Thru A LOT…But There Are Ppl In This World w/ More Serious Problems So I Cant Hang The Head….Thank You Lord #BlessedGood Luck To The New Enland Organization, The Coaches, & All My Teammates… #PatsNationTHANK YOU To Everyone Supporting/Wishing Me Well (Fam,Friends,Ppl Who Dont Kno Me Personally) To Those Happy About What Happen…God Bless U"

I don’t know how I would be taking the news if I were in Underwood’s position but if he truly has bought into the Patriots way of doing things then he most definitely believes this is the best thing for team. And he might even have an understanding in place that he has a spot on the team next season. Plus, for a man who’s been cut three times this season, he’s gotta be used to it by now and the one plus side to being cut on a Super Bowl team is if the Patriots win he’ll still get his Super Bowl ring.

I just wonder how Ochocinco would be acting right now if he were the one that got cut instead of Underwood. I imagine the whole good soldier routine he’s been putting forth this season might have been shattered.

All I know is that it’s the night before the Super Bowl and all the attention has now been shifted towards Belichick and this roster move. I bet Tom Coughlin is pretty happy with that. #ALLIN