Marc Sessler of NFL.com recently published an article, in the wake of LeBron James winning his first NBA championship with the Heat, of players whom he considered the NFL's most polarizing players.
To no one's surprise, newly acquired Jets quarterback Tim Tebow was number one on the list. Meanwhile, there were no current Patriots on the list. However, there were two former Patriots receivers. Randy Moss, who played from the team from 2007 to 2010, checked in at number six. Chad Ochocinco, released by the Patriots earlier this month, was listed at number three.
All of this being said, who are the Patriots most polarizing current players? Certainly, there aren't any names that immediately come to mind, although there are a few that always seem to spark some debate:
Wes Welker: Some Patriots fans, somehow, see Welker as a replaceable commodity as a slot receiver. Others, meanwhile, see him as an irreplaceable asset. Regardless of how well he plays for the Patriots in 2012, there will likely still be some type of split amongst Patriots fans.
Devin McCourty: McCourty, whether or not you're a supporter, was marred by inconsistently early in 2011. There are some who have lost faith in him and even think he should move to safety full time, and there are others who believe that he's bound to return to his rookie form.
More "polarizing" players after the jump!
Brandon Spikes: You're either a believer in #Powwwww or you're not. Simple as that.
Kyle Arrington: Arrington was the NFL's co-leader in interceptions in 2011, and while there are some fans that believe he is a top-tier starting cornerback, there are others that believe his interceptions were simply the result of being at the right place at the right time, and think Arrington is no better than a #2 or #3 guy.
Deion Branch: There are many fans who think Branch is still a skilled receiver who is valuable to the Patriots offense, while there are others who see Branch's production solely as a factor of his chemistry with Brady, and that his time with the team could be coming to an end soon.
Sergio Brown: Many fans have been harsh on Brown for his struggles with the base defense in 2011. However, there is still a faction of fans who think Brown can be an important piece due to his presence on special teams.
Pat Chung / Sebastian Vollmer : There is a strong faction of fans who think these guys are the real deal and deserve contract extensions, whilst others are fed up with their inability to stay on the field.
Danny Woodhead: Some see Woodhead as an underutilized and undervalued asset to the team, while others think he's been somewhat overrated, for whatever reason.
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So what do you think? Who do you consider to be the Patriots most polarizing players?