Alshon Jeffery Reveals He Almost Joined Patriots Before Eagles Contract in 2017 NFL Offseason

Former NFL wide receiver Alshon Jeffery revealed that the New England Patriots were interested in signing him before the 2017 season.

Jeffery, who ended up signing a one-year, $9.5 million contract with the Philadelphia Eagles, told the story to ex-Pats wide receiver Julian Edelman during an appearance on the Games With Names podcast.

In essence, Jeffery said the Patriots wanted to sign him for $20 million over one season. However, those plans changed when the Patriots agreed to a five-year, $65 million contract with shutdown cornerback Stephon Gilmore.

With the Pats having less money to spend, they returned to Jeffery and gave him a low-ball offer (the wideout did not provide the exact number on the podcast).

Jeffery declined that deal and went to the Eagles. It worked out for Jeffery as he amassed 57 receptions for 789 yards and nine touchdowns in the regular season before adding 12 catches for 219 yards and three touchdowns in the playoffs, capped off by a 41-33 win over those same Patriots in the Super Bowl.

Jeffery had three catches for 73 yards and a touchdown, the game's first score courtesy of a 34-yard pass from quarterback Nick Foles.

On the podcast, Jeffery also told Edelman that Pats owner Robert Kraft went up to him after the game and said he knew the team should have signed him and told Bill Belichick as much.

Jeffery started his career with the Chicago Bears, who selected him with the 45th overall pick in the 2012 NFL draft out of South Carolina.

He was phenomenal over a two-year period from 2013-2014, catching 174 passes for 2,554 yards and 17 touchdowns.

Unfortunately, injuries hindered his production and held him off the field for seven games in 2015. He missed six games because of a hamstring ailment and a seventh because of a shoulder issue.

The South Carolina product still excelled with 54 catches for 807 yards and four touchdowns despite barely playing over half a season. However, a quarterback carousel and a four-game suspension for violating the NFL's policy on performance-enhancing substances in 2016 meant he was held to 52 catches for 821 yards and two touchdowns.

A long-term deal did not await Jeffery in 2017 when he hit free agency, and he signed the aforementioned one-year deal with the Eagles.

Jeffery later got paid, too, signing a four-year, $52.25 million contract extension before the 2017 season even ended.

Injuries once again held him back from 2018-2020, though, as he missed 18 games during that span. A torn rotator cuff, two calf strains, an ankle sprain, and a Lisfranc injury caused him to miss time over those three years.

His production slowly waned, to the point where he had just six catches for 115 yards and a score in seven games in 2020, rarely seeing the field. He has not played since the 2020 season.

Jeffery ultimately provided a big target for quarterbacks at 6'3", 218 pounds, though, and enjoyed a productive and prosperous career. He was an excellent red-zone threat, and his efforts to help Philadelphia win the Super Bowl will forever be remembered.