Michael Floyd played a pivotal role in the Patriots’ home field-clinching victory over the Dolphins to close the regular season. In their playoff opener, Floyd was less of a factor. In the AFC Championship, the former Notre Dame star receiver was not even on the active roster. Wherever tonight’s Super Bowl lands on that spectrum for Floyd, he will be in line for a ring with a New England victory.
After that, even more questions abound.
At Super Bowl Media Day on Monday, Floyd fielded questions both about his future and his Arizona departure following a DUI arrest the day after the Cardinals lost to Miami and Floyd caught two passes for 18 yards. Even before authorities determined his blood-alcohol level to b .217, the Cardinals released Floyd and the Patriots subsequently picked him up off waivers.
“It was tough,” Floyd told the Pioneer Press. “[The Cardinals] didn’t say nothing. They knew what the deal was. I knew what the deal was, and we parted.”
In his second game with the Patriots, Floyd faced those Dolphins again, this time catching three passes for 36 yards and a touchdown, providing two of the definitive New England highlights of the season.
Yet, as the Patriots clinched their Super Bowl berth, Floyd wore street clothes. The return of receiver Malcolm Mitchell from a knee injury gave the Patriots four receivers who knew their system in-and-out, rather than Floyd’s month-long crash course tutorial. Not expecting to need a fifth receiver, the Patriots coaches used that roster spot for other positional needs.
“He’s done everything we’ve asked him to do,” offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels said. “I think circumstances decide [who is inactive]. There’s other factors in all that. But Michael’s been great. I’m really happy to have him, and we’re going to work hard and get him ready for Sunday.”
Floyd will be a free agent following the Super Bowl. His landing may have been soft in New England, but that does not mean he will be there come next season, though that warm reception may make it his preference.
In case you rely on this site for every piece of your sporting news, tonight’s Super Bowl between the Patriots and the Falcons kicks off at 6:30 p.m. ET on Fox.