When the Detroit Lions traded Golden Tate to the Philadelphia Eagles for a third-round draft pick in 2018, many fans (and teammates of Tate) were disappointed.
According to reports, the Lions made Tate a “very good” offer that he turned down and as a result, he was traded the next day.
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Following the trade, there was speculation (and hope from some) that Lions' GM Bob Quinn could actually pull off some magic by obtaining a third-round pick for Tate and then re-signing him as a free agent in the offseason.
Tate was recently asked if returning to the Lions this past offseason was ever an option and he said it was not.
From ESPN:
“Probably say doubtful at that point,” he said. “Once you let me go and let me walk, I'm not going to go back. That just shows what you think of me. I wasn't going to go back.”
Though Tate made it pretty clear that there was never much of a chance of him returning to the Lions for the 2019 season, he did add that he was “bummed” to be traded in the first place.
“I put in a lot of hard work. I think I accomplished a lot on the field, off the field. I was seen as a leader. I thought I was an asset to the organization,” he said. “When I didn't get it, I was a little bummed. That's life.”
Tate will be back at Ford Field this coming Sunday when the Lions host the New York Giants in what is most definitely a must-win game for the home team.
