Patriots Super Bowl Champ Endorses New England’s Latest Player Decision

Rob Ninkovich watched for years as legendary New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick played hardball when it came to contracts.

The two-time Super Bowl champion is glad to see the franchise’s new regime do away with that tactic, though.

The Patriots have continuously rewarded a number of their own players this offseason with new contracts. They made sure Kendrick Bourne and Hunter Henry didn’t go elsewhere in free agency, extended longtime captain David Andrews and handed Christian Barmore a lucrative contract extension among other moves.

Jahlani Tavai became the latest in a long line of players to be locked in with the Patriots for the future by reportedly agreeing to a three-year extension worth a maximum value of $21 million last week.

“It’s also an appreciation thing for a player who has performed well,” Ninkovich said, as transcribed by ESPN’s Mike Reiss. “I like what they’ve done with him and David, which is something I’m not sure would have happened prior to this year. It tells the younger guys that if you approach it the right way, like they did, this is what the reward can be.”

Ninkovich had high praise of Tavai, who grew into his own over the past three seasons with the Patriots. The 27-year-old linebacker spent his first season with New England primarily playing on special teams but has transformed himself into a key cog in the team’s defense.

Tavai recorded 110 tackles last season — second-best on the team behind Ja’Whaun Bentley — to go along with two interceptions and one sack. He also played in 74% of New England’s defense snaps, which was a career high.

Ninkovich believes that might just be the start of something more for Tavai.

“I love his energy. He plays hard,” Ninkovich said. “You need a guy like that who can do multiple things, but also get everyone in the right spots. He’s been in this system long enough where he understands his role so well that he can help others. … Him and Bent (Ja’Whaun Bentley) having played together for the last three years, that’s a good thing to keep that going. I think he has a higher ceiling and that could soon become an undervalued contract.”