Matt Light Says He Tricked Brandon Meriweather Into Asking Bill Belichick To Pick Up His Bar Tab

Former Patriots offensive lineman Matt Light showed up on radio show Toucher and Rich this morning after his old teammate Brandon Meriweather called in, and told a wonderful story about the time he set up a painfully awkward conversation between the safety and head coach Bill Belichick at the 2011 Pro Bowl.

A few other Patriots were also in Hawaii, as well as Belichick, who was coaching the AFC. According to Light, some players were drinking at a hotel when he convinced Meriweather that Belichick would pay for his bar tab. After all, that’s his coach. From CSNNE:

“[Meriweather]’s kind of the young guy, kind of the odd man out, and he’s not saying much. He’s just laughing, joining in the festivities, and I walked over to him and — I [had seen] him order a drink from the waitress — I said, ‘Hey man, you do know that you can put all this on Bill’s room, right?’ Now you’ve got to remember, Belichick and the entire staff were coaching the AFC. ’

“Now I go up there saying that just busting his chops. I didn’t really know what was going to happen, but I figured I’d plant that seed. He looks at me and he says, ‘Are you serious?’ And I’m like, ‘Yeah, man. You don’t ever pay for your drinks when your coach is here coaching.’ I’m like, ‘Come on. Come on, rook.’ So I walk away; I’m not thinking anything of it.”

Later that night, Light said he saw Meriweather go up with his check to the Head Grump and his girlfriend, Linda Holliday, and endlessly thank Belichick for footing the bill. Of course, the coach wasn’t in on it:

“And I’ll never forget — Bill’s looking at him like, ‘What are you talking about?’ But Linda’s like, ‘Go ahead, take care of the tab. Help him out, right?’ It was the most uncomfortable awkward moment I’ve ever witnessed with coach.”

Meriweather, who was talking about Pro Bowl players being “dead drunk” before the game earlier in the morning, claimed that he never partook:

[ CSNNE]