Kyle was an offensive coordinator under his dad when Kyle was about 30. But yes, agreed that the Pats situation is unusual.
What a stacked coaching room in 2016:
Head coach: Bill Belichick
Offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach: Josh McDaniels
Assistant quarterbacks coach: Jerry Schuplinski
Running backs coach: Ivan Fears
Wide receivers coach: Chad O'Shea
Tight ends coach: Brian Daboll
Offensive line coach: Dante Scarnecchia
Defensive coordinator: Matt Patricia
Defensive line coach: Brendan Daly
Linebackers coach: Brian Flores
Cornerbacks coach: Josh Boyer
Safeties coach: Steve Belichick
Special teams coach: Joe Judge
Assistant special teams coach: Ray Ventrone
Head strength and conditioning coach: Moses Cabrera
Assistant strength and conditioning coach: James Hardy
Head coach: Bill Belichick
Offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach: Josh McDaniels
Assistant quarterbacks coach: Jerry Schuplinski
Running backs coach: Ivan Fears
Wide receivers coach: Chad O'Shea
Tight ends coach: Brian Daboll
Offensive line coach: Dante Scarnecchia
Defensive coordinator: Matt Patricia
Defensive line coach: Brendan Daly
Linebackers coach: Brian Flores
Cornerbacks coach: Josh Boyer
Safeties coach: Steve Belichick
Special teams coach: Joe Judge
Assistant special teams coach: Ray Ventrone
Head strength and conditioning coach: Moses Cabrera
Assistant strength and conditioning coach: James Hardy
...to say nothing of the stacked QB room. Brady, Garoppolo, Brissett. Our third QB back then, now has 48 starts and 76 games played in the NFL, 7 years later.
I don't think BB puts Steve in that position if there wasn't already in place a group of seasoned, smart, veterans like McCourty, Chung, and Harmon.
And they actually needed all three of those guys that year, thanks to the BS Deflategate suspension.
That team was an absolute wagon and one of the most underrated teams ever.
#3 offense (points)
#1 defense (points)
#1 point differential (by a whopping 57 points, 3.6 per game!)
Avg margin of victory: +11.9 per game
They only lost two games all season:
- 16-0 vs. Buffalo when the Pats were playing with Brissett at QB, who had a broken thumb in his throwing hand
- 31-24 vs. Seattle when the Pats had 1st and goal at Seattle 2 yard line at the end of the game and somehow couldn't punch it in
Other than that...perfection, including two dominant playoff wins in the AFC (34-16 over Hou and then 36-17 over Pit), and the greatest comeback in SB history in the Super Bowl against league MVP Matt Ryan.
And they had only like 6 games of Gronk that year. In the 5 games where Gronk played with Brady in 2016, he had 24/529/3
That's kind of how I read this, too. "He's green but that group can almost coach itself -- and he will learn a ton from them." Seems like it kind of worked out that way.
You mean we shouldn't take as literal truth self deprecating comments made by the boss's kid on the first day of the job to a group of highly skilled professionals who were his age or older?
He was a defensive assistant for 3 years and then was given an assistant coaching job with a veteran group of players. There's no exact career route in coaching, but this isn't all that abnormal.
Brian Flores was a special teams/defensive assistant with the Pats for 3 years before being promoted to safeties coach (sound familar?)
McVay was an offensive assistant for 3 years before becoming a tightend coach.
Anthony Lynn spent two years as a special teams assistant before being made running backs coach.
Hell, BB himself was a special assistant to the HC and then special teams assistant coach for 2 seasons before getting promoted to WR coach (worked for him, it's probably why he has people follow the same path).
Steve Belichick had a pretty standard route to his role at safeties coach, and he made an offhand joke to loosen things up at the start of the season.
Oh yeah, and did a really good job in the role he earned. Did he get a spot with the Pats because of his dad? Yes. Did he work/earn his way up the coaching ladder? Yes. Do I care that a guy who gave us 6 SBs helped his son get his foot in the coaching door? Not even a little.
Brian Flores was a special teams/defensive assistant with the Pats for 3 years before being promoted to safeties coach (sound familar?)
McVay was an offensive assistant for 3 years before becoming a tightend coach.
Anthony Lynn spent two years as a special teams assistant before being made running backs coach.
Hell, BB himself was a special assistant to the HC and then special teams assistant coach for 2 seasons before getting promoted to WR coach (worked for him, it's probably why he has people follow the same path).
Steve Belichick had a pretty standard route to his role at safeties coach, and he made an offhand joke to loosen things up at the start of the season.
Oh yeah, and did a really good job in the role he earned. Did he get a spot with the Pats because of his dad? Yes. Did he work/earn his way up the coaching ladder? Yes. Do I care that a guy who gave us 6 SBs helped his son get his foot in the coaching door? Not even a little.
https://www.usatoday.com/in-depth/graphics/2022/11/22/nfl-coaches-nepotism-filled-dozens-positions/10702777002/
USA Today did a big story on NFL nepotism a few months ago. Some familiar names from this thread on the list but a few surprises (I did not know that Zac Taylor is Mike Sherman's son-in-law or the Rex Ryan's son is on the Lions staff)
Twitter hasn't gone totally to shite yet. Happy 3-28 showed up on my trending list this morning.
I wasn’t quite sure where to put this. Lots of comments and discussion online about how many players who were selected in the first round of the 2020 draft have not had their fifth year option picked up.
https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/nfl-fifth-year-option-deadline-takeaways-commanders-declining-chase-youngs-option-among-notable-moves/amp/
that was the year the Patriots traded out of the first altogether.
https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/nfl-fifth-year-option-deadline-takeaways-commanders-declining-chase-youngs-option-among-notable-moves/amp/
that was the year the Patriots traded out of the first altogether.
So of the 10 picks in the 1st round at or after the Patriots original pick..... one had his option picked up, one agreed to an extension for less than the option (though could earn slightly more if he hits a ton of incentives) one is dead, and another out of the league, then 6 had their options declined
Logan Ryan on Good Morning Football (co-hosted by JMac) talking about being coached by Bill – this is a treat:
View: https://twitter.com/gmfb/status/1655542055291224064?s=46&t=4DK5sD-8gsSKFExcsnEJqg
View: https://twitter.com/gmfb/status/1655542055291224064?s=46&t=4DK5sD-8gsSKFExcsnEJqg
ATL Falcon fans catching strays from the official Nfl twitter
View: https://twitter.com/nfl/status/1678877638478422016?s=46
View: https://twitter.com/nfl/status/1678877638478422016?s=46
That's a negative interpretation. I would call that NEP fans catching a beautiful present by NFL Twitter.
Asante Samuel - not a fan of BB.
https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/2023-franchise-tag-deadline-winners-losers-tough-day-for-josh-jacobs-saquon-barkley-tony-pollard/
"Absolutely not," said Samuel when asked if Belichick was the greatest head coach ever. "Are you crazy? Look at his record without Tom [Brady]. You've got to win without Tom. One thing I learned about being great is you got to be great in different situations. It was all Tom. I was there. I saw it. It was Tom. Everybody know it. Tom know it but he ain't gonna admit it because he wants to be politically correct. That's why I'm here and I'm going to tell the truth."
I love the "it was all..." part of that. Yeah sure. It was Tom that had the pick six and held the Greatest Show on Turf to 17 points. It was Tom that held the previously unstoppable Rams offense to 3 points in a 13-3 win in SB 53. It was Tom that held Peyton Manning to 3 points and 14 points in the playoffs when Peyton was with Indy. It was Tom that called the double pass from Edelman to Amendola. Obviously I'm not saying that Tom wasn't the biggest on-field part of their incredible 20-year run. OBVIOUSLY he was. By a mile. But it wasn't JUST Tom that allowed NE to have all that success.
In fact, if Asante makes that pick in SB 42, and someone had suggested that their Lombardi was "all Tom", I bet Asante would have been gravely offended by that.
https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/2023-franchise-tag-deadline-winners-losers-tough-day-for-josh-jacobs-saquon-barkley-tony-pollard/
"Absolutely not," said Samuel when asked if Belichick was the greatest head coach ever. "Are you crazy? Look at his record without Tom [Brady]. You've got to win without Tom. One thing I learned about being great is you got to be great in different situations. It was all Tom. I was there. I saw it. It was Tom. Everybody know it. Tom know it but he ain't gonna admit it because he wants to be politically correct. That's why I'm here and I'm going to tell the truth."
I love the "it was all..." part of that. Yeah sure. It was Tom that had the pick six and held the Greatest Show on Turf to 17 points. It was Tom that held the previously unstoppable Rams offense to 3 points in a 13-3 win in SB 53. It was Tom that held Peyton Manning to 3 points and 14 points in the playoffs when Peyton was with Indy. It was Tom that called the double pass from Edelman to Amendola. Obviously I'm not saying that Tom wasn't the biggest on-field part of their incredible 20-year run. OBVIOUSLY he was. By a mile. But it wasn't JUST Tom that allowed NE to have all that success.
In fact, if Asante makes that pick in SB 42, and someone had suggested that their Lombardi was "all Tom", I bet Asante would have been gravely offended by that.
How did Brady hold the Rams to three points in SB53? I'm one of those guys if you're going to rattle off a bunch of statements supporting your argument, that none of the statements actually support the opposing side.
What’s great about this is, at this point, I don’t care! I know what I saw and felt over 20 plus years, and it doesn’t matter to me whether Belichick’s legacy is viewed with unanimity. Think Andy Reid is a better coach? Great! Enjoy. I wouldn’t trade either Brady or BB for any of their contemporary counterparts over the duration of the run.
Ok. I whiffed. Apparently I was the one saying things that were the opposite of my argument. I'm going to go eat some buffalo wings now in penance.
I got what you were saying and I agree. I just didn't know why you said it to me as if I was actually saying that it was Brady that held the Rams to three points.
I mean, I did "say" it, but it was (so I thought) completely obvious sarcasm.
I like that we are having the Brady versus Belichick argument in multiple threads now.
We’ve been thinking for years that Belichick is chasing Shula, but maybe he was actually simply waiting for Brady to retire.
We’ve been thinking for years that Belichick is chasing Shula, but maybe he was actually simply waiting for Brady to retire.
Sorry, I didn't mean to drag that here necessarily. I just didn't know what thread Samuel's comments should go in. But it definitely was worth mentioning.
A$ante was also in a twitter beef with Revis the other day over who was better... so he is definitely looking for the remaining 14:59 of fame.
Asante posts stuff like this on a Twitter a lot and invariably gets slammed in the replies. He must have some sort of humiliation kink.
Edelman was on the Kelce brothers podcast today. It's a fun listen. I'm not finished yet, but already some great tidbits about Gronk and Welker, and a hilarious story about Randy Moss. Looking forward to finishing it.
That was great. Between this and his SNL gig, I'm really warming to Travis. Plus, the respect both Kelce brothers have for BB, Brady, and Gronk--as well as Edelman--made this that much more enjoyable, along with Jules's "milk and cum" comment.
It's easier to appreciate players like Mahomes and Kelce when they aren't standing between the Pats and the super bowl.
I mean, they are, but we've gotta get through like 10 other teams first.
You don't always have to hate the competition. That's where the "Beat LA" chant came from, respect for an opponent and dislike of another.
For me…. I think KC is phenomenal but I don’t want Mahomes to even come close to what Brady accomplished, and I don’t want KC to even sniff 6 rings.
I felt this way for a while, but honestly, I'm not sure I care all that much any more. I still root against them in every single game but if they end up winning 6 titles? I would just have to respect that, knowing how incredibly hard it is. I could see Mahomes getting 3 or 4. We'll see after that.
Yeah, I get that. Rooting against them is fine. But a lot of them are pretty likeable guys and fun to watch. I save my sports hate for the bad guys and teams that somehow messed with us in the past (the assault/predatory guys & Baltimore/Indy/NYJ).
They are certainly less insufferable without Hill. I don’t love the Mahomes sideline dancing and the Kelce preening but they seem like good dudes.
Figured this was the place to put this:
Jon Bois is coming out with another series: the history of the Vikings:
View: https://youtu.be/J2aQOZo3EQI
Jon Bois is coming out with another series: the history of the Vikings:
View: https://youtu.be/J2aQOZo3EQI
Just had a random memory of 1993, when Pats tickets were easy to get and all-day drinking sounded like a good idea.
I remember stumbling into Foxboro Stadium just in time to see a Pats player go back for an opening kickoff and fumble it, leading to a TD for the Lions.* "We'll never see that guy again" I said to myself, lurching over to my bleacher seat. Sure enough, he was cut that week.
* I looked it up: scored by Willy Clay!
I remember stumbling into Foxboro Stadium just in time to see a Pats player go back for an opening kickoff and fumble it, leading to a TD for the Lions.* "We'll never see that guy again" I said to myself, lurching over to my bleacher seat. Sure enough, he was cut that week.
Luckily, Parcells re-signed Troy Brown after that mistake
* I looked it up: scored by Willy Clay!
This is really great. Pete Carroll and Richard Sherman get together to back about the Butler INT:
View: https://twitter.com/TheVolumeSports/status/1694016586661978165?s=20
View: https://twitter.com/TheVolumeSports/status/1694016586661978165?s=20