NFL legend Steve Smith Sr. believes that New England Patriots trainers deserve some blame for keeping Rookie Brede receiving Ja’Lynn Polk back during his first year with the team.

The Patriots skipped Ladd McConkey and used another round of election in the 2024 NFL draft to choose Polk, which mustered only 12 catches in 87 yards and two touchdowns.

Polk fought with fallen passes and created separation against conflicting defense. Things got so bad that he was hardly even targeted in the second half of the season.

Smith believes that the patriots’ coaches, specifically Tequan Underwood, did not enable Polk to be successful. He questioned the former employees and former assistant recipients trainer Tequan Underwood, especially in Polk’s poor development at the NFL level.

“That explains a lot now,” Smith said at “89 podcast.” “I’m stuck on (Tequan) Underwood. Now I’m like ‘Oh, I can see where he got it from.’ Oh, Googly Moogly, my bad. Not his fault for real. … It’s like trying to have someone with diabetes to tell you to stop eating candy. Come on. It’s like an elephant trying to learn a dolphin to swim. “

Steve Smith Sr. says #Patriots‘WRS trainers put back yes’lynn polk:

“That explains a lot now. I am stuck on (Tequan) Underwood. Now I’m like ‘Oh, I can see where he got it from.’ My bad. Not his fault for real …

It’s like an elephant trying to teach a dolphin to swim! ”… pic.twitter.com/8crhz4piyx

– Carlos A. Lopez (@lostalkspats) February 21, 2025

It is worth noting that Smith indicated that he meant no respect to Underwood. Even it is still clear that he believes that Polk got a raw deal in a tough season in general for the Patriots violation.