Why Patriots’ Kyle Dugger Was ‘Agitated’ Before Landing Extension
No one wants to be bothered by a phone call or a text message when they’re busy doing something important. Patriots safety Kyle Dugger is no exception.
So, when Dugger was hard at work in early April training for his fifth season in New England, he was a little peeved when his agent gave him a buzz and paused the workout. It turned out to be a life-changing phone call, however, as Andy Simms rang his client to inform him of the four-year, $58 million ($32.5 million guaranteed) extension he received from the Patriots.
Dugger recalled the exchange with Simms on Monday when he spoke with reporters after the first day of New England’s organized team activities.
“I was just like, ‘What do you want?’ A little agitated,” Dugger told reporters, per the Boston Herald. “But once the news was told to me, I was obviously excited. I went right back to work.”
Dugger admitted it was a “relief” to work out a long-term deal in New England, where he was a second-round draft pick in 2020. With some security now in place, the 28-year-old has the luxury of being able to fixate most of his attention on football matters.
The versatile defensive back was among multiple homegrown Patriots who received new contracts over the offseason. Those players surely will be leaned on as pillars of the franchise as New England enters a new era.