FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- In the end, the New England Patriots' need for an experienced linebacker led to an unlikely reunion with Brandon Spikes. Just 23 days later, it has blown up on them.

It's fitting that Spikes' trademark hashtag on Twitter is "#POWWWW."

In one respect, there was something refreshing about coach Bill Belichick and Spikes burying their hatchet, with Belichick giving Spikes a second chance after the sides couldn't separate fast enough following the 2013 season. Two weeks ago, Spikes said: "I just want to show him I’ve changed as an individual, as a player, as a man. I'm going to just show him; better than just saying it, I'm going to show him."

It all sounded good.

But Spikes didn't live up to his own words in the eyes of the Patriots, and now it has cost him his job.

From Belichick's standpoint, he had to be considering the strength of his own word with the other 89 players on the roster. He can't stand in front of the team, demand personal accountability, speak about the expected standard of what it means to be a Patriot, and then let something that doesn't reflect well on the franchise slide.

So this end result is hardly a surprise after it was learned that police were investigating Spikes' damaged, abandoned car early Sunday morning in connection with an accident that sent three people to the hospital.

Then there's the pure football trickle-down effect of the move.

This hurts the Patriots, who had been looking for experienced linebacker help since free agency began March 10 because starters Jerod Mayo (patellar tendon) and Dont'a Hightower (labrum) are coming off serious surgeries. They missed out on Andrew Gachkar and Rolando McClain, both of whom signed with Dallas, and ultimately settled on Spikes.

At organized team activities the past two weeks, Spikes was right in the middle of the action, getting quality repetitions with many returning starters. His knowledge of the scheme from his initial stint with the team was valued, and his overall presence was hard to miss.

This could mean Dane Fletcher, who, like Spikes, played for the Patriots from 2010-13 before moving on last season and then re-signing last month, will now step into the void.