The NFL free agency window has not formally opened yet, but the league has already been rocked by a series of unexpected moves. Amid the Minnesota Vikings’ wide receiver Jordan Addison’s free agency rumor, he hit back at a proposed move to the New England Patriots.

It all began as a Pats fan dug up a two-month-old Instagram post, which he captioned “Wasn’t my best,” referring to his underwhelming 2025 campaign. “We like our WRS with minor legal issues. Signed all New England Patriots fans,” the fan wrote, taking a subtle dig at him. However, Addison did not hold back from targeting the Patriots with a simple reply.

“yall a*s,” replied Addison promptly.

The 24-year-old was a first-round pick from the 2023 NFL Draft, signing a four-year contract worth $13.7 million. He showed his class in the rookie year, becoming an immediate starter. In his first season, he achieved his best career milestone with 911 receiving yards alongside 10 touchdowns.

Despite his immense potential, the WR’s numbers dropped slightly in the sophomore year (875 yards). During the 2025 campaign, he performed below the usual standard he demonstrated in his earlier seasons, raising doubts about his future with the franchise, which was why the free agency rumors began floating. He managed a career-low 610 receiving yards and only 3 touchdowns in the previous season, which he also referred to in the Instagram caption.

Now, the New England Patriots are looking for a new wide receiver after parting ways with the experienced Stefon Diggs after just one season. Despite crossing the 1,000 receiving yards milestone last season, Diggs was released by the Pats— perhaps due to his ongoing off-field legal trouble, which the Instagram comment highlighted.

While Addison seemingly shot down the idea of moving to Gillette Stadium and potentially replacing Diggs, he also dealt with additional legal matters outside the gridiron.

Addison’s fifth-year option at risk amid repeated off-field issues

Since joining the league in 2023, Jordan Addison has been embroiled in three legal problems. The first time he got into trouble was for breaching the speed limit in July 2023, just before his rookie training camp with the Vikings. Driving a Lamborghini Urus at 140 mph in a 55 mph zone in St. Paul, Minnesota, he was charged with reckless driving. However, the case was later dismissed.

Just a year later, in July 2024, he found himself in legal trouble once again in Los Angeles when he reportedly blocked a lane after being caught sleeping behind the wheel of a car. The action led to a DUI case, and he was fined $390, while he received a suspension from the NFL for the opening three matches of the 2025 campaign.

Moreover, he was taken into custody for trespassing earlier this year in Florida. However, a week later, the charges were dropped against the wide receiver. Following repeated charges and even an NFL league suspension, Addison appears to constantly find himself in legal trouble. Hence, the Vikings are reluctant to extend his fifth-year option, which has a deadline of May 1 and could cost $18 million.