Aqib Talib hasn't played in New England since 2013, but he's as quotable a former Patriot as there is in the league. That means when he's on record, we're usually listening -- especially when the questions have to do with Talib's time in New England.
As the Broncos cornerback ran through ESPN's "car wash" on Monday, he was asked several questions about the Patriots, and he took time to tell one particular story about Bill Belichick while visiting the Dan LeBetard Show.
It centered around a scuffle that Talib was involved in during joint training camp practices between the Patriots and Buccaneers back in 2013.
"One time the Buccaneers came to practice with us, and Bill made it clear that if anybody get in any fights, that he's sending you in the locker room. He ain't gonna have it," Talib said. "We got to doing special teams, man, and somebody was kind of being a little extra rough with one of my guys, so I kinda went and handled the situation, sling him around a little bit.
"I was ready to get sent in the locker room, and I kind of looked at Bill and Bill had a little smirk on his face like 'Yeah that's why I brought him. That's why I brought him here. Yeah.' That was a good story. I always tell that story. Bill did not send me in, though. He let me play all day."
Talib, who was in his first training camp with the Patriots at the time, was asked if he thought he was given an exemption from the fighting rule for some reason.
"I guess he might've been talking to, like, the young players, man," Talib said. " 'We don't got time for these young guys out here cat fighting. If you're gonna fight, man, it better be 'Qib or something.' That's what Bill was talking about."
New England Patriots
Talib also got some face time on ESPN's SportsCenter and First Take, where he answered a few questions about his former team.
On beating the Patriots in the AFC title game: "It's great man. Not just your former team, a powerhouse like that. To beat those guys two times in a row and the second time being to go to the big game, it's an incredible feeling, man. It's an accomplishment-type of feeling."
On if his knowledge of the Patriots offense helped the Broncos: "Having an idea of how they're going to attack us [helped]. Like, throughout the week we're like, 'Are they gonna come out in 11 [personnel] all day or are they gonna come out in 12 [personnel]? How are they going to attack us? I'm in the locker room, like, 'Man, they're going to do this. This is what they're going to do. I know Bill. I know Tom and them. This is how they're going to play us.'
"It played a little part in how [defensive backs coach] Joe Woods and [defensive coordinator] Wade [Phillips] kind of made our script. They asked me and Chris [Harris] because we watch a lot of film . . . 'How you think they're gonna attack us, man? What should we really get ready for?' I said 12 personnel, 11 personnel, mostly 12, and that's kind of what they did."
On choosing Tom Brady versus Peyton Manning: "That's a tough one, man. That's a tough one . . . Their preparation, how they approach the game, I've seen both of them. Just seeing that, seeing their productiviy on the field, it's kind of hard to pick, but if I had to pick, I'm going to pick the guy I won the Super Bowl with. I never won the Super Bowl with Tom. I had a great time over there playing with him. He was amazing to watch. Same with Peyton. But I won the Super Bowl with Peyton."