NESN: JuJu Smith-Schuster Slams Patriots Helmet After Heated Exchange with Troy Brown

New England Patriots wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster had a "heated sideline exchange" with wide receivers coach Troy Brown following Mac Jones' second interception Sunday against the New York Giants, NESN's Dakota Randall reported.

Smith-Schuster slammed his helmet on the ground after the altercation, per Randall.

The 2-8 Patriots trailed 7-0 at the half after Jones recorded 89 yards and no touchdowns while connecting on 12 of 21 pass attempts.

Smith-Schuster appeared to be open on the play that led to Jones' second interception.

Instead, the Patriots quarterback aimed toward wide receiver Demario Douglas, who was unable to reach the ball through double coverage.

Smith-Schuster did not record a catch in the first half, after which Jones was benched in favor of backup quarterback Bailey Zappe.

After the argument, Smith-Schuster walked away from the rest of the team's wide receivers, per The Eagle-Tribune's Bill Burt.

Smith-Schuster was in the middle of his second consecutive start for the Patriots alongside wide receiver DeVante Parker.

He signed with the Patriots for three years in March after a 933-yard season for the Super Bowl-winning Kansas City Chiefs in 2022, despite reports he had played through a knee injury during that winning postseason.

Since then Smith-Schuster's role with the Patriots has been limited. Heading into Sunday, he had a 60 percent catch rate on fewer than four targets per contest, totaling 22 catches and a touchdown on 149 receiving yards through eight games.

This visible discord on the Patriots' sideline may not bode well for Bill Belichick. Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio (h/t NESN) reported an early November rumor that the Patriots are considering trading their longtime head coach.