BOSTON (CBS) -- Who knew that macaroni and cheese was so near and dear to so many people's hearts?

Patriots linebacker Matthew Judon found out that people do care quite a bit about the delicacy known as mac and cheese, after he trashed the food item during his media availability on Tuesday.

"It's disgusting," Judon said. "Get it off the table. The bathrooms will be less busy and everybody will have a better day. … If you want to have a good Thanksgiving, don't cook mac and cheese."

This opinion was, of course, a matter of taste. Both Dont'a Hightower and Kyle Dugger told the media that mac and cheese is among their favorite Thanksgiving side dishes, and the disagreement does not seem to be a threat to tear the Patriots' locker room apart.

The internet, though? The internet is a different place. It can get rough in a hurry on the internet streets.

In what was essentially a homemade version of Jimmy Kimmel's "Mean Tweets" segment, Judon shared with the world just how rough those internet seas can be by sharing some of the more noteworthy messages from his Instagram direct messages. Fortunately, the 29-year-old kept a good sense of humor about it.

"What is this?! Did you have to call me all these words," Judon asked one Instagram user who used quite a bit of profanity while hurling insults at Judon. "Speak about my wife like that? Over macaroni and cheese?"

"Mac and cheese might be good to you. But I don't like it. But do you have to speak to me that way?" a dumbfounded Judon asked one user who succinctly wrote, "Y'all suck."

Judon pointed out one user who sent him a message of praise in October, only to tell him that he needed to be cut from the team after the mac and cheese commentary.

"Joe, I really just think this is blatantly contradictory," he said. "On October 11th, you loved me. Today, I say something about some food, now I'm gonna get cut? Sheeeeesh."

One person went so far as to suggest that Judon should "die in a fire."

"Cole, I'm pretty sure this is about the macaroni and cheese, because I don't know what I could do for you to be wishing I die in a fire," Judon said flatly.

Another user shared a picture of Judon and his wife, with the caption, "Lmfao OK ... I see why u don't like Mac n Cheese."

"I'm pretty this is making fun because Breigh is Caucasian. But we have a chef. She really doesn't cook," Judon said. "And my Black mama cooks macaroni and cheese, and I ain't eatin' that crap either."

(You can watch the full video on Judon's Instagram page.)

It was, obviously, an eye-opening day for Judon. But he summed it up rather simply.

"I guess," he reflected, "this is just what you get when you say something about mac and cheese."