New England Patriots
“Call the guys and tell them I’m trying to come back. Don’t play. Tell them I’m trying to be here.”
K’Lavon Chaisson has had a career year with the AFC champion Patriots this season and will likely get paid well in free agency. AP Photo/John Locher
Patriots linebacker K’Lavon Chaisson emerged as an unlikely star on New England’s dominant defense this season.
Chaisson, 26, signed a one-year, $3 million contract with the Patriots last March and joined a powerful positional corps alongside fellow free-agent LB signings like Harold Landry and Robert Spillane. The signing was a low-risk, high-reward deal for New England and its pass rush at the time.
However, Chaisson has taken advantage of the opportunity the Patriots gave him, and then some. He had a career year with his new team in the regular season, registering 7.5 sacks, 18 quarterback hits, 10 tackles for loss, and two forced fumbles. Chaisson also logged 18 solo tackles, the third-most in his career, and started 10 games along the way.
The playmaker has also taken full advantage of his opportunity to play for New England this postseason and is continuing his impactful year as a member of this stellar defense. Chaisson has already recorded three sacks through three playoff games (two of which came in the wild-card round against the Chargers), nine QB hits, six solo tackles, and three solo tackles.
An integral part of an impressive Patriots defense filled with standout players, Chaisson will be due for a significant payday in free agency when it begins on March 11.
He was asked about his upcoming free agency and how he feels about the large sum of money he’s earned that’s likely coming his way soon. Chaisson responded humbly, stating that he’s focused on preparing for and winning next week’s Super Bowl.
“I do wanna seal the deal. I wanna seal the deal so bad. I wanna finish this game, I wanna go home with a win, and that’s the biggest thing to me, man,” he told Kay Adams on “Up and Adams.” I feel like everything is gonna be truly worth it. This season was long, the grind’s been long, the journey’s been long. Everything that we play this game for is truly right here in front of us. Opportunity is right here in front of us. … I want to continue to prove that we’re the best team in the National Football League.”
But, about that payday. Do you want to return to New England with a new deal?
“Call the guys and tell them I’m trying to come back. Don’t play. Tell them I’m trying to be here,” Chaisson said.
Notably, he credited both the Patriots’ offensive and defensive coordinators for getting the most out of him and the defense as a whole. Chaisson said OC Josh McDaniels and interim DC Zak Kuhr have played massive roles in leading New England to another Super Bowl, its first appearance in this new era.
He said McDaniels, who is in his third stint with the Patriots as their OC, has been collaborating with Chaisson and the defense since the spring.
“Josh has been huge even from the start of it. We started off in OTAs and training camp and kind of just game-planned against each other, how he likes to take some of the edges out of the game and kind of get them in a mind-tricking situation of certain boots or reads situations to kind of slow them down,” Chaisson said. “He’s been breaking down this game for me completely in a whole new light just to kind of see it from his perspective. He’s been truly a light to this whole defense and this team. I know he’s comfortable in all these situations and obviously, this is nothing new to him.”
Chaisson, of course, also praised Kuhr and the way the 37-year-old coach sprang to action and filled in for DC Terrell Williams when he was diagnosed with prostate cancer in September. Chaisson said Kuhr doesn’t like receiving praise for the work he’s done this season, though.
“Zak is trying to play the lowkey role. He likes to just sit back and be the mastermind and dial things up. We try to give him as much credit as we can in this building, but he don’t like it,” Chaisson said. “He just wants to continue to be the man behind the show, to continue to put guys in places to make plays and dial up and be the dominant defense, man. He done took this to a whole ‘nother level.”
Chaisson also said he wants to win Super Bowl LX for Williams, who recently learned that he is cancer-free.
“Shoutout Terrell, man. He’s been with us all the way through, and we been with him all the way through,” Chaisson said. “His presence and truly what he means to this team will never go unnoticed or unacknowledged, for sure. Super thankful to him, man. Definitely everything we’re doing toward this game and we’re putting toward preparation, we have with him in mind, for sure.”
Kaley Brown
Kaley Brown is a sports producer for Boston.com, where she covers the Bruins, Celtics, Patriots, and Red Sox.
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