Bill Belichick Press Conference 7:30am (1/8/24)

[RobertWeathers]

If there is any reshuffle regarding GM and roster building, the one thing a smart GM should absolutely allow BB to continue doing, it is choosing the UDFAs to bring onboard, they might even allow BB to make all picks in the 6th and 7th rounds.

I like that idea.

 

[festy1986]

I think we know where the Bill is under contract next year story came from.

It wasn't Kraft

 

[Boomer B]

What rule is that? I don't think that's the case. If I am wrong though please let me know.

My takeaway is that Bill does not necessarily want to leave and he is going to talk to Kraft about it today. They will probably talk several times and what happens is anyone's guess. Until then we should just go with the flow.

I agree that Bill doesn’t want to go anywhere and the press conference today was him getting out ahead of this and saying “your move Kraft”.

I disagree that there will be several conversations. At the most 2, and likely 1. Kraft has had months to come to a decision which is likely made by now and he’ll fire Bill when they meet. Slight chance he gives Bill the ability to have his say in the 1st meeting and set a 2nd meeting where he either fires Bill or keeps him, but I don’t see them meeting several times.

 

[patsfanfromoversea]

He did a nice job with Mac in 2021.

We know what he does with a GOAT.

As a HC he is brutal.

As an OC he is above average.

i give you that
but i think his offense isn't that creative and too predictable. The screen game he usually uses makes me furious

 

[festy1986]

Nope. There's an NFL rule prohibiting teams from preventing former coaches from being hired elsewhere. It can only be done if the move is lateral.

In this case, once the Patriots hire a new head coach, the move would not be lateral.

All that only applies if Bill is fired.

If Bill resigns then Kraft owns his rights in perpetuity.

 

[holyredeemer]

Ex-GM Keim has it on authority that the new owner Harris is not going to hire Belichick. For a variety of reasons, but mainly because Harris is going to be a hands on owner, much more so than Kraft. He'll be in all the football meetings.

I wasn’t talking about Belichick going to Washington. I was talking about how other teams are going to get a head start on the coaching searches. If Kraft does indeed want to make a move on Belichick, he can’t postpone it for too long. I give it by end of week. If you wait that long, just hold onto Bill. Guys wanna know where to move their families and get to work.

 

[Free_Pacman]

Nope. There's an NFL rule prohibiting teams from preventing former coaches from being hired elsewhere. It can only be done if the move is lateral.

In this case, once the Patriots hire a new head coach, the move would not be lateral.

So, again, it would make ZERO sense for Belichick to agree to be traded for a pick rather than just sign with them without having to compensate the Patriots.

 

[Free_Pacman]

I have a hard time seeing this dragging out; I have a feeling we will know the way forward by the end of the day.

 

[Real fan 02]

I would only even consider Vrabel if we don't have to give up any compensation. We need the draft capitol.

We have a few picks in the 1st round right? I'm definitely all in on Vrabel

 

[Rob0729]

The fact that he laughed at Lynch and wouldn't even consider it is telling, no?

I mean, he didn't even allow Lynch to say, "Bill, we'd like to offer you our next 5 first round draft picks!" Maybe then Belichick would've run it up the ladder to Kraft. Instead Belichick laughed at him and said no.

Wickersham is a proven liar from Deflategate.

You didn't answer about Brady showing up on Ross's boat in 2019.

Again, if Kraft said Brady couldn't be traded under any circumstance, Lynch's story backs that up.

And if Belichick knew Brady met with Ross and didn't say or do anything about it, it backs up the theory that Belichick wanted Brady gone. Not Kraft. If Belichick wanted Brady to stay and he got wind of this meeting, he would have gone to the league and complained.

 

[upstater1]

i give you that
but i think his offense isn't that creative and too predictable. The screen game he usually uses makes me furious

You need the players though. Dolphins use that same screen game.

In general I think we give too much credit to how new and innovative these offenses are.

I do give credit to Miami's McDaniel since that timing offense is pretty neat to watch. There have been such timing offenses in the past though (Kurt Warner and the 2000 Rams had the exact same offense).

But when defensive coaches (like the Bills D last night) shut those offenses down, it's because they've understood what these innovative offenses are trying to do. Thoroughly. Last night reminded me what happens when geniuses like McVay run up against a Belichick.

The only offense that is unstoppable is an offense where you can constantly throw to the outside shoulder on the boundaries and have Juilo Jones or Randy Moss consistently snag it. There is no way for a CB to defend that. And a safety can't help him. It is almost impossible to defend unless you can generate inside pressure up front that prevents your QB from even making that throw ('07 Super Bowl, sorry).

 

[Fatmancryin]

Yeah it's really hard to see BB agreeing to help his old team and hurt his new team.

Why he did it with the Jets trade.

 

[*ChungFu*]

So, are the Krafts and BB watching tonight's championship game together in Brookline or on Nantucket?

 

[bormio]

I am sure this was done as a PR or offensive move. I don't remember in Belichick's tenure him having a press conference at 7:30 AM the day after the end of the season. I could be wrong, but usually the post mortem press conference happens later than this. In fact, I cannot remember Belichick ever having a press conference this early in the morning.

Well a whole slew of seasons was after winning the Super Bowl. Likely went to bed about 3 AM

 

[Free_Pacman]

Why he did it with the Jets trade.

Because he resigned; the Jets didn’t fire him. They still owned his coaching rights.

 

[RobertWeathers]

I have a hard time seeing this dragging out; I have a feeling we will know the way forward by the end of the day.

I tend to agree. Might take the week though.

After watching the presser and thinking about what Bill said it seems to me....

1) he is open to staying/wants to stay
2) he wanted it to be on record he still wants to coach
3) he gave himself an out by saying he is open to some organizational reconfiguration. Could be genuine. Could be BS. He doesn't have a lot of leverage on that issue
4) if said reconfiguration is not what he is comfortable with he can then exit. Hopefully is amicable.

 

[ahmed]

That's an even bigger advantage for the offense. When the offense has that luxury, they can mix up the run and pass more and keep the defense off balance.

Or just play more conservative.

 

[RobertWeathers]

i give you that
but i think his offense isn't that creative and too predictable. The screen game he usually uses makes me furious

maybe but at the end of the day it's talent, execution and attention to detail that scores points.

Lord knows this offense was 0-3 this year on those catagories.

 

[Ross12]

I tend to agree. Might take the week though.

After watching the presser and thinking about what Bill said it seems to me....

1) he is open to staying/wants to stay
2) he wanted it to be on record he still wants to coach
3) he gave himself an out by saying he is open to some organizational reconfiguration. Could be genuine. Could be BS. He doesn't have a lot of leverage on that issue
4) if said reconfiguration is not what he is comfortable with he can then exit. Hopefully is amicable.

It was all much more benign than I expected, to be honest. I was left with a positive feeling about the direction of things, however they go.

 

[UGAPatsfan]

Kraft isn’t without leverage as some believe. If BB gets cute and tries to force Kraft’s hand, Kraft could simply mandate organizational changes so unpalatable to Bill that he resigns.

He is the owner.

I doubt that happens, but Bill certainly doesn’t hold all the cards.