Three seasons into a five year, $35 million contract, New England linebacker Adalius Thomas has experienced it all with the Patriots, including a Super Bowl run that fell just short in 2008 against the Giants.

But all is not well between Thomas and New England, with several public battles taking place last season and a likely spot on the bench or an outright release forthcoming. For his part, Thomas has stayed relatively quiet this off-season waiting to see how the Patriots would act, but now that free agency is all but complete, he has broken his silence.

Sitting down for an interview with Shalise Manza Young of the Boston Globe, Thomas spoke critically of his treatment in New England, questioning why he was singled out for punishment, while others seemingly received a free pass.

“Anybody that knows me personally knows that I’m not a bad person. I haven’t had a problem in the 10 years I’ve been in the league; I haven’t had a run-in with any coach. That’s not me. Am I a ‘yes’ person? That’s not me. I respect the coaches and I respect their position. If you have something that you want me doing, that’s fine. But coaches are going to do what’s best for the organization, or for them. At some point you have to look out for you, so the only person that’s going to do that is you. I’m not bitter. At all. But I guess it comes across . . . I don’t think anything I said is untrue, and if it’s not untrue, then why is there a problem?’’

– New England linebacker Adalius Thomas

Thomas also believes he received improper medical care  to treat the broken arm he suffered in the 2008 campaign, with the Patriots sending him to see what he thought would be a specialist in Florida, only to discover he would be working with a massage therapist instead. Thomas currently has 12 screws and a plate in that arm, and continues to have difficulty with it to this day.

“I think that sent a hidden message to me because I don’t think certain people would get that same treatment. I don’t think you’d send somebody to rehab their shoulder with a massage therapist, or a knee to a massage therapist. She was a doctor, but the person responsible for my physical therapy was a massage therapist?’’ All the things were right, [but] there was probably so much more I could have done. She did what she knew to do. It wasn’t her fault; she was doing a favor. The favor didn’t work out for me.’’

– New England linebacker Adalius Thomas

Thomas has not yet been told where he fits in with the club this season or if he’ll actually be with the team when the season begins, but is comfortable for the time being, and is planning on attending the team’s mandatory mini-camp in June.

The most likely course of action for the Patriots is to release Thomas at some point this summer, when they know more about how their team will shape up defensively. Thomas would be a solid fit for teams in need of a veteran linebacker, with Cleveland, Kansas City, Arizona, and Miami likely being the best case scenarios.

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