Patriots: Patrick Chung retires an underrated New England legend

It appeared that the Patriots were going to get all of their COVID-19 opt-outs back in 2021, but things change. Patrick Chung announced his retirement and his career in New England deserves more appreciation.

Chung is a veteran of New England. He spent 11 seasons with the Patriots and he made the most out of that time.

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The safety played in 141 games for New England and tallied 11 interceptions, 54 pass deflections, 4.5 sacks, 719 tackles, and a touchdown. Chung also won 3 Super Bowls and showed just how valuable he was to the franchise.

But it seems like Chung never really got his due while he was a player. Some even discounted his absence in 2020 when in reality he will probably get a red jacked and be forever enshrined in the Patriots Hall Of Fame.

Why Patrick Chung is an underappreciated Patriots legend.

Chung was truly a great talent. He was a great safety who could help stop the run and lay some devastating hits.

Having Chung on the field paired with Devin McCourty was a devastating duo. He helped anchor New England’s defense for plenty of years.

Chung is such a talented player, that the greatest head coach of all time, Bill Belichick said he made a mistake letting Chung go. Belichick even called him one of the best players in the league.

But in New England, players like Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski got all the love. They scored all the points and made all the flashy plays. Chung didn’t get nearly the love that he deserved.

What also stands out is Chung’s toughness. Throughout his career, he played through injuries that others wouldn’t even dare making such an effort.

So there is no doubt that Chung is a Patriots legend. He should forever be remembered by fans in New England. He was a crucial part of the defense and made some great plays.

While he likely won’t end up in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Chung deserves to have his accolades and efforts recognized by the Patriots organization.

With how much Belichick loves Chung who knows? Maybe we will see the safety return as a coach in a few years.

But no matter what Chung ends up doing, he deserves much more love and appreciation from fans in New England. Maybe now that he is retired he will finally get that admiration.