Randy Moss' return to New England on Sunday was a quiet one. Well, quiet on the field, anyways. Moss, who saw double coverage most of the day, was limited to just one catch for eight yards. but after the game, in the press conference, is when Moss made his presence felt.
Moss started things off addressing the $25,000 he received from the NFL this week as punishment for not talking to the media. And then announced that he would not be talking to the media from here on out:
"Well, I'm going to go ahead and start this thing off. I'm going to go ahead and say this. I feel like I said something a couple of weeks ago. Look, I got fined 25,000 dollars for not talking to you all, and me personally, I really don't care. But at the same time, I do ... answer questions throughout the week, and for the league to fine me 25,000 dollars -- I'm not going to answer any more questions for the rest of this year. If it's going to be an interview, I'm going to conduct it. So, I'll answer my own questions, ask myself the questions and then give you all the answers. So, from here on out, I'm not answering any more questions for the rest of this season."
Following that opening statement, Moss composed himself, and expressed just what his time with the Patriots meant to him, and how much he misses his former teammates.
The captains, [Vince] Wilfork, Tommy Boy, Kevin Faulk, I miss them guys. I miss the team. It was hard for me to come here and play, an up-and-down roller coaster for me all week ... I kind of know what type of feeling is in their locker room and I want to be able to tell they guys that I miss the hell out of them, every last helmet in that locker room ... Coach Belichick gave me an opportunity to part of something special and I really take to heart and I salute Coach Belichick and the Patriots for the success they had before me, during me and after me. I'm actually stuck for words.
Moss then indicated that he offered the Vikings' coaches tips and strategy on the Patriots, and plays they may run, but said that his advice went ignored.
I tried to prepare, tried to tell the players and coaches how this game was going to be played, certain tendencies here and couple of tendencies there but you have six days to prepare for a team knowing the seventh day - Sunday, today - I guess they came over to me and said ‘Dang, Moss you were right about a couple of plays and a couple of schemes they were going to run.'
Finally, after Moss thanked the fans -- "That ovation at the end of the game that really felt heartwarming, I think I even shed a tear." -- the wide receiver offered a special thank you to the Kraft family, and the organization as a whole.
I thank Miss Kraft - I never got a chance to talk to her after I left - for letting me be part of something special ... I don't know how many more times I'm going to be up here in New England, but I'm going to leave the New England Patriots and Coach Belichick with a salute. I love you guys, I miss you. I'm out.
You can read the full transcript at WEEI's site.