The name is Joshua Uche, moving forward.
On Tuesday, the New England Patriots linebacker said he was leaving the abbreviated version of his name in the rearview and taking up the full name given to him at birth.
When asked to explain the change in name preference, Uche gave a heartfelt reason, when speaking with media members. It all boils down to the simple fact that it is the name his father gave him, and he wants to honor that name from here on out.
“One of the biggest disciplinarians other than Bill Belichick. … He’s the reason I’m standing here today,” said Uche, when talking about his father.
#Patriots OLB Joshua Uche explaining why he wants to be called Joshua now, saying it’s to honor his father.
On his dad, Uche said: “One of the biggest disciplinarians other than Bill Belichick. … He’s the reason I’m standing here today.” pic.twitter.com/TkhKgd51Gk
— Andrew Callahan (@_AndrewCallahan) April 30, 2024
Uche is in a good place playing on a one-year extension with the Patriots and an opportunity to maximize his value in 2025. The new regime has shown they aren’t afraid of shelling out cash to keep their best players.
If Uche can get back to being the sack monster he was in 2022, he could be the next major extension looming on the horizon for the Patriots.