New England Patriots wide receiver Wes Welker had a major drop in the AFC championship game and will have a contract issue to work out in the offseason, but the first controversy he must deal with came courtesy of social media.
Following in the footsteps of another wife who slammed their husbands opponent following a tough loss, Welker's wife, Anna Burns Welker, took to Facebook following the Patriots' 28-13 loss to the Ravens in the AFC Championship Game to take some shots at Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis.
"Proud of my husband and the Pats. By the way, if anyone is bored, please go to Ray Lewis' Wikipedia page. 6 kids 4 wives. Acquitted for murder. Paid a family off. Yay. What a hall of fame player! A true role model!" Burns Welker said in a since-deleted post on her personal Facebook page.
Following the backlash from the post and the fact that she later regretted it, Burns Welker released a statement to sports blog Larry Brown Sports apologizing for her remarks.
"I'm deeply sorry for my recent post on Facebook," she said. "I let the competitiveness of the game and the comments people were making about a team I dearly love get the best of me. My actions were emotional and irrational and I sincerely apologize to Ray Lewis and anyone affected by my comment after yesterday's game. It is such an accomplishment for any team to make it to the NFL playoffs, and the momentary frustration I felt should not overshadow the accomplishments of both of these amazing teams."
Welker was the leading receiver for the Patriots on Sunday, catching eight balls for 117 yards and eight touchdowns. He is set to be a free agent following the end of the season and could be leaving the team if he and the Patriots cannot work out a contract.
Lewis, who has announced he will retire at the end of the season, led the game with 14 tackles and has been an inspiration for the Ravens all year.
The social media chatter from Burns Welker echoes another incident from last year, when quarterback Tom Brady's wife Gisele Bundchen made some noise while waiting for an elevator at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, lashing out at the Patriots' receiving corps for failing to haul in her husband's passes as she spoke to people in her group.
Following the game she was heard saying: "My husband can not f---ing throw the ball and catch the ball at the same time," she said while waiting for the elevator to leave the VIP suites at Indianapolis' Lucas Oil Stadium. "I can't believe they dropped the ball so many times."
Welker is the top receiver for the Patriots, but for the second year in a row he dropped a crucial pass in their last game of the season. He dropped a ball that could have converted a first down in the Super Bowl that likely would have put the Giants too far out of reach last year and did the same again when playing the Ravens.
Brady found Welker on a third-and-8 with New England leading 13-7 wide open in Ravens territory, but he dropped what would have been a first down conversion. Instead the Patriots punted the ball back to Baltimore. Welker is one of the best receivers in football, but the drops have become more of an issue for him. According to ESPN Stats & Information, "Welker led the AFC with 11 drops during the regular season."
Welker will have some offseason questions, as the Patriots may not want to pay him what he asking for after dealing with contract issues last season. Brady has come out to say that he would like Welker to return, but everyone knows the NFL is a business and even the quarterback does not have final say.
"I think those business parts of the game are ... those usually take care of themselves," he said during his weekly interview with the "Dennis & Callahan Show" on Boston sports radio WEEI. "Certainly I'm not involved in any of those."
Brady and Welker have been one of the most successful combinations in NFL history and the wideout had an excellent game against the Ravens, making eight catches for 117 yards and a touchdown. Welker had five 100-catch seasons for the Patriots and has been their most consistent receiver over his tenure with the team. But it could be money that costs him.
"Everybody knows how I feel about Wes, our whole team feels that way about Wes," Brady said. "He's just one of the best players I've played with and played against. He's just a phenomenal player, and he's been the heart and soul of what our team is all about. He's been so selfless, and the way that he carries himself and commits himself to help our team win, it's second-to-none. But like I said, those aren't my decisions."
Brady had one of his best seasons in 2012, throwing for 4,827 yards and 34 touchdowns with just eight interceptions. He completed 63 percent of his passes and threw for six touchdowns over the past three games. This year though, Brady's best wasn't good enough.
