Calvin Ridley just can’t keep out of news. There are a lot of considerations for a free agent to consider while selecting his new playing home. Of course, everyone’s main concern is money. Then there are the roster that the player would be joining and its attraction, or lack thereof, along with a number of geographic factors that, depending on the individual, may or may not be regarded advantages.
And many have questioned whether the Patriots’ roster and coaching staff are too undesirable to lure in free agents, given that Calvin Ridley chose to join with the Titans over the New England Patriots in free agency despite receiving equal financial offers.
Robert Kraft speaks about Calvin Ridley
However, Patriots owner Robert Kraft stated on Tuesday morning that Ridley made a personal choice. Robert said,
“It was not because of finance. He made clear his girlfriend wanted to be in the South,” “And we had a situation where the taxes were like, almost 10 percent higher [in Massachusetts, compared to Tennessee]. We offered, or were willing to keep going at that premium, but he didn’t want to be in the Northeast. And part of it might be the quarterback situation, as well.”
In reality, Ridley is wed and has a daughter. He was born and raised in Florida, attended Alabama for his college career, and played in Atlanta and Jacksonville during his two NFL stints before becoming a free agent. The wife of Ridley was raised in Alabama. Though it’s easy to understand how moving to Nashville could be seen as a less substantial departure from the South, moving there is undoubtedly a stride toward the north.
Robert Kraft shares that Calvin Ridley told the Patriots his girlfriend preferred to be in the South. He said the team had been willing to make up the difference in taxes between Massachusetts and Tennessee, while acknowledging that the QB situation could have been a factor. pic.twitter.com/no1BzwOpsf
— Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) March 26, 2024
Although Kraft suggested that Ridley’s decision may have been influenced by the Patriots’ uncertain quarterback situation, it appears that the primary driving force behind Ridley’s choice was the need to relocate his family to New England.
