Are fans allowed to boo?
That depends on who you ask.
In theory, they absolutely have the right to express their displeasure(s), especially as the New England Patriots sink to depths not seen in nearly three decades.
Sure, NFL fanbases may not be throwing any pity parties for a team that has been spoiled by decades of success.
Sure, collective NFL fanbases aren’t taking up a collection for an organization spoiled with success. But this current product isn’t good enough for a fanbase that has grown almost accustomed to winning.
And they’re going to be vocal about it.
But, according to Patriots linebacker Jahlani Tavai, they should also know their place.
In a radio spot with WEEI on Friday morning, Tavai was asked if, like his teammates, he was frustrated by a chorus of boos that became the soundtrack to New England’s 40-7 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 17.
What does Tavai think of some of his teammates being frustrated with fans ‘booing’? Should fans “Know their place”? #NFL @WEEI pic.twitter.com/P2BrK2Ovcm
— The Greg Hill Show (@TheGregHillShow) January 3, 2025
“I was frustrated. I definitely think I told a fan to ‘quiet down’ in a non-polite way,” the former 2019 second-round pick explained. “There’s a reason why they’re fans, though. Everyone can say what they think we should be doing… But in the long end, they’re not qualified to do what [Jerod] Mayo’s doing… They’re fans. I appreciate them at times, but sometimes they just have to know their place and understand it’s a work in progress.”
That will likely go over well, especially with Boston sports fans…
“Rome wasn’t built in one day,” he added. “Like I said before in another interview, there’s been teams that have shown, you know, a work-in-progress team, like the [Detroit] Lions, what four years ago? When Dan Campbell took over, what was their record (3-13)? And then, these past two years… I’m not trying to compare, but that’s a goal that we’re trying to develop here in this new regime.
“That’s the vision. To get to how the Lions are improving, because that’s the type of team we see ourselves as, as a playoff contender. And, unfortunately, that’s not this year.”
Suppose you’d told a Patriots fan just five years ago that the organization should model itself after the Lions — who had unsuccessfully tried to emulate New England during Matt Patricia’s disastrous tenure.
In that case, they’d likely have laughed you out of the room.
And if you’d suggested to the same fan that a linebacker post-Belichick would tell a fanbase to pretty much shut up and know their place, well, you’d have been met with even more disbelief.
When a proud franchise defined by dominance suddenly finds itself amid a rebuild, frustration is inevitable.
Telling them to “know their place” might not be the best way to quiet the storm.
About Sam Neumann
Since the beginning of 2023, Sam has been a staff writer for Awful Announcing and The Comeback. A 2021 graduate of Temple University, Sam is a Charlotte native, who currently calls Greenville, South Carolina his home. He also has a love/hate relationship with the New York Mets and Jets.