Social media piles on Patriots for being flexed out of MNF vs. Chiefs

If there was ever a sign of the times in New England, this might be it.

The NFL announced Thursday that the Patriots' Week 15 matchup with the Kansas City Chiefs, originally scheduled for Monday, Dec. 18, has been "flexed" out of ESPN's Monday Night Football and rescheduled to Sunday, Dec. 17 at 1 p.m. ET.

Seattle Seahawks vs. Philadelphia Eagles will replace Patriots-Chiefs as that week's Monday night game, marking the first time in NFL history that the league has "flexed" a MNF game after instituting a new rule allowing NFL games to be flexed beginning in 2023.

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Patrick Mahomes and the defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs are one of the league's most popular teams. One of their best players, tight end Travis Kelce, is dating pop superstar Taylor Swift. So why did the league decide to move them out of primetime?

Many on social media reached the same conclusion: The Patriots really are that bad.

Head coach Bill Belichick's team is 2-9 entering Week 13 and owns the NFL's second-worst offense (13.5 points per game). The Patriots have scored 13 points combined in their last two games and reportedly plan to start backup quarterback Bailey Zappe this weekend after benching Mac Jones in back-to-back contests.

Put another way: The Patriots apparently are so unwatchable that the NFL decided to take one its premier franchises out of primetime for fear of a one-sided snooze-fest. That can't sit well with team owner Robert Kraft.

Here's a roundup of the best reactions on social media after the league's (not so) surprising decision.

"How pathetic. Another low... that's how bad you suck. That's embarrassing."

Patriots-Chiefs game in Week 15 flexed out of MNF to Sunday, Dec 17th at 1pm (First Monday Night game to get flexed) react pic.twitter.com/xwFW98sHFE

— NBC Sports Boston's Patriots Coverage November 30, 2023 Distinction the Patriots would rather not have:

Their game with KC is the first-ever Monday Night Football game to be flexed OUT of its spot. Game moved to 1 pm on Sunday, Dec. 17.

Sign of the times. Patriots are bad enough that they bumped Patrick Mahomes out of prime time.

— Phil Perry November 30, 2023 The NFL didn’t flex Vikings Bears Monday Night Football but flexed Patriots Chiefs... what a slap in the face to Robert Kraft and the Patriots organization. Rock bottom

— John Reed November 30, 2023 Even Patrick Mahomes can’t save the Patriots..

— Andrew Brandt November 30, 2023 Out of all the things to illustrate how bad the Patriots are this year, this tops the list. We are SO ASS that the NFL is pulling PATRICK MAHOMES off of primetime.

Pain. Unimaginable pain.

— BenchwarmerBran November 30, 2023 Do you know how bad you have to be to get Mahomes/Kelce/Swift flexed out of primetime?

— Scott McLaughlin November 30, 2023 Nobody wants to watch the Patriots in Prime Time. Nobody. They made the right call

— how bout those CHIEFS November 30, 2023