New Detroit Lions running back LeGarrette Blount is a big fan of Matt Patricia and has a sweatshirt to prove it

LeGarrette Blount may have given Matt Patricia headaches a mere month ago when the two faced off in Super Bowl LII, but the bond between the two was instrumental in bringing the veteran running back to the Detroit Lions.

Blount had a teleconference with the Detroit media on Monday, and he credits Patricia as a big reason he joined the Lions.

Blount, of course, is speaking to his days as a New England Patriot. From 2013 to 2016, Blount played in 49 games for the Patriots, racking up 2,917 yards and 34 touchdowns on 677 carries (4.3 YPC).

Patricia may have coached the defense, but he apparently kept a close relationship with Blount that the running back described, on Monday, as “really, really, really close.”

“Even though he was on the defensive side of the ball, I always had a great relationship with him,” Blount said per DetroitLions.com’s Tori Petry.

They have such a close relationship that Blount actually considered wearing a Matt Patricia sweatshirt to work on Monday, but felt it was best to keep things a little more professional.

But, wait? A Matt Patricia sweatshirt?

That’s right. Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press did some digging, and, indeed, LeGarrette Blount owns a Matt Patricia sweatshirt.

It’s pretty incredible that Patricia has that kind of effect on players that he doesn’t even work with directly. As for Blount, we’re going to need to get him some updated Lions/Patricia swag. May we suggest our brand of Matt Patricia Detroit Lions t-shirts?