The New England Patriots, fresh off a Super Bowl defeat, have plenty of negative media to tackle this preseason. From Julian Edelman's subpar apology to questions surrounding Rob Gronkowski's commitment to football, New England certainly needed a lift to bring morale back up in the organization.
At the end of the Patriots' training camp practice Monday night, rookie offensive lineman Isaiah Wynn was put up to a classic Bill Belichick challenge — if you can catch a punt, you win the team a prize.
At 6-foot-2 and 310 pounds, Wynn isn't exactly punt returner material, but that didn't stop the rookie from setting his feet and watching a Ryan Allen punt sail up in the air.
If Wynn caught the punt, he'd earn the entire Patriots team two nights without a curfew, according to defensive tackle Danny Shelton.
It might not sound like much, but grown men at NFL training camp need all the time they can get to cut loose.
What happens next? Probably the best moment of Patriots training camp.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VsDNPtDu3bU
He's no Cordarrelle Patterson, but give the big guy some credit.
Catching an NFL-sized punt isn't easy, and it only took the rookie, with everybody watching, two tries to do it.
Lo and behold, the rookie's effort even earned a smile from Bill Belichick.
Isaiah Wynn was drafted 23rd overall in the 2018 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots. In three seasons as an offensive lineman with the Georgia Bulldogs, Wynn played 52 games, including 41 starts, at both offensive guard and tackle spots.
Wynn projects to start at either left or right tackle after signing his rookie deal worth $11.4 million over the next four years. He pairs up with the Patriots other first round pick, and former Georgia teammate, running back Sony Michel.
This isn't the first time a Patriots lineman was given the chance to play "Catch a Punt, Win a Prize."
Check out former Patriots offensive tackle Matt Light's proposal to Belichick back in 2004.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6XfJbE6GVI?start=316&w=560&h=315%5D
Maybe head coach Bill Belichick isn't so bad, stern and controlling after all?
Well, then again...
