Randy Moss addressed reporters on Thursday afternoon in Minnesota for the first time since being traded to the Vikings. Below are some of his comments about the Patriots:
On the role of faith:
“I have strong faith. I have a lot of faith in God, praying every day and every morning he’d put me in the right situation. I think by me being traded from New England to [Minnesota], I guess this was His plan. So I’m going to embrace it.”
On why he thought New England traded him:
“If you’ve been watching TV you know it’s a business. I don’t want to get into that.”
On whether it hurt to get traded away from the Patriots?
“I’ve been traded before. I was more hurt when I left here. I think when I got traded from New England I feel it was more of an understanding. I’ve said time and time again. This is not football, man. It’s a job, it’s a business. When the fans of the game understand the business of the game I think it’ll be better for everyone.
“Did I want to get traded out of New England? I don’t really know what the answer is. All I can say is that there’s no other place I’d rather get traded to besides Minnesota.”
On whether the Vikings promised him a contract extension?
“I don’t really want to get into contracts. I think this is how the whole thing started. Some things in New England didn’t go according to plan, and we sit up here now. I don’t really want to get into the contract thing, I think everything will work itself out. If I’m going to be here next year as a Viking, then that’s what it's going to be. If I’m not then I’m not. Right now I have a job to do and that’s play football, so we’ll leave it at that.”
On playing with Brett Favre:
“I’ve been able to come from a place such as New England, having a great Hall of Fame quarterback in Tom Brady, a Hall of Fame coach in Bill Belichick and then being able to come to a Hall of Fame quarterback in Brett [Favre], I mean what else can you ask for?
On why things didn’t work out with Bill Belichick and the Patriots:
“What me and coach Belichick talked about, I don’t really want to make public. The respect that I have for him as a coach and as a man speaks high volumes, because Bill is the one that brought me to New England from Oakland. I commended him and thanked him for that because me being in New England, that was something special. I have never been a part of a team. That’s all I ever wanted to do was be a part of a team. They’re a team.
“Now that I’m gone I’m not going to say anything negative and I’m not going to bash the organization because they gave me the opportunity to play when nobody else thought I could play at a high level. Whatever me and coach talked about, I want to keep that between the two of us. I wish him the best.
“We go [to New England] in a few weeks. One thing [Belichick] did share with me was he wished me the best except for that game right there. I look forward to facing those guys on the 31st of October.
“I still got love for [the Patriots], I really do man. It’s something that I’ll never forget. We did some magical things up there but the show must go on. It is a business and I think that’s what a lot of people have to understand, the business side of football.”