Pats' Bennett addresses suspension: 'It's America. You can voice your opinion'
After rejoining the New England Patriots on Wednesday, defensive end Michael Bennett addressed the disagreement with his positional coach that led to a one-game team suspension.
"It's America. You can voice your opinion about how you feel about certain situations," said Bennett, according to ESPN's Mike Reiss. "That's what I did."
Asked what he took away from his weeklong ban, Bennett said, "I didn't take away nothing. I got suspended. Lost money. What am I supposed to take away from that? There's no love lost. It's just how it is."
Bennett previously said he and defensive line coach Bret Bielema had a "philosophical disagreement."
The argument reportedly centered around Bennett's unhappiness with his reduced role after he played a season-low 11 snaps in New England's Week 6 win over the New York Giants.
The Patriots' marquee offseason acquisition played 39 snaps in Week 1 but has seen his workload steadily reduced since. He wouldn't speculate on his future in New England ahead of Tuesday's trade deadline.
"It is what it is, man," the 33-year-old said when asked if he's happy in New England. "It's up to the team (about the possibility of being traded), how they feel about it. I like playing here."
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