TRANSCRIPT: Bill Belichick’s Interview on WEEI 1/2/24
(PHOTO: Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports) 🕑 Read Time: 6 minutes
Posted Under: Patriots Transcripts
(PHOTO: Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports) 🕑 Read Time: 6 minutes
New England Patriots > Patriots Blog
(PHOTO: Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports) Here’s a transcript of this morning’s interview with Bill Belichick on The Greg Hill Show:
On if he’s a resolution guy:
“I’ll probably try and keep those to myself so I don’t get called out on them.”
On if he’s big on manifestation:
“Yeah, I don’t know. I don’t know how you measure that.”
On the fact that without the turnovers, Sunday’s result may have been different:
“Well, we put ourselves in a hole there in the second quarter and then kind of battled back but couldn’t battle all the way back. It’s just too much to give a good team like that.”
On the fact one of those turnovers came on a miscommunication between Bailey Zappe and Jalen Reagor and if he puts the fault of the turnovers, or on Zappe and the offense as a whole:
“Each play had its own elements. I’ll just say, in general, the high level of execution that we needed on a couple of those plays, we just didn’t have. And obviously, we paid for it.”
On the fact Sean McDermott was effusive with his praise after the game, and his thoughts on what McDermott’s done in Buffalo:
“I think Sean and Brandon [Beane – the GM] have done a really good job up there. Obviously, [they’ve] won several divisions and in it again this year. I mean, they’ve done a great job.”
On his thoughts on Trent Brown, who took offense to a Sports Illustrated report that he’s been late a lot this season, and whether or not that’s been an issue:
“I’m not going to comment on any personal situations or contracts or anything like that. It was a coaching decision, and I’ll just leave it at that.”
On the fact these last few games, players seem to be putting in the effort and if it feels like these players are playing for him:
“I think the players have come in really every week on a pretty consistent basis – a very consistent basis – not perfect, but on a very consistent basis, come in, worked hard, tried to correct our mistakes, prepare for the next team, get the game plan, go over and over the game plan to try and make sure we have it down as well as we can in all three phases of the game. That’s what these guys have done all year from the beginning of the year, until all the way through to last week against Buffalo. So I don’t expect it to change. I think that’s just what they are and what they do. We’ve got some really good leadership out of our captains and some of the other veterans on the team and people have followed their example. I mean, look, we’re all just trying to get better and do the best job we can. That’s really what it’s about.”
On the eligible, ineligible receiver situation between the Cowboys and Lions, which originated with him back in the 2014 postseason against the Ravens, and the fact Rex Ryan talked about how coaches go in to meet with the refs to discuss any trick plays prior to the game and if he discussed it with them before that match-up:
“Well, first of all, I didn’t see the Dallas/Detroit game. I heard about it, but I haven’t actually seen exactly what happened, so I won’t comment on that. We didn’t do anything illegal in the Baltimore game. I mean, people have been reporting as eligible/ineligible for as long as I’ve been in the league and way before that. It happens on fourth down and it happens on other downs, whether usually it’s an offensive lineman reporting, or a defensive lineman reporting an ineligible’s number to be eligible. But eligible numbers can be ineligible on punts and other plays, and then they changed that rule a couple of years later about where that player could be located and so forth. But teams have done that before, they’ve done it against us, and we did it against Baltimore. There’s nothing illegal about that play.”
On the fact Lamar Jackson was available this offseason and that Robert Kraft said he could go get him if he wanted to, and if he made any serious attempt to get him:
“Well, there’s a lot of things that go on in the offseason. Each player has its own story. But, look, in Lamar’s case, there was a lot of … I would say there would have been a lot of moving parts on that one anyway. But I’ll discuss the players that are on the team, not the ones that aren’t on it. I mean, there’s a lot of players out there that were available, that are always available in the offseason and we talked to some of the players, some of the agents and all that. But those conversations are on a whole other level. [We’ll] just stick to guys that are here.”
On what he thinks has gone wrong for Chad Ryland this season:
“Well, just in general, I’d say, like usual, our younger players that had shown some promise, there’s been some ups and downs with all of them. Not just this year, but other years. You see that pretty much throughout the league. Our rookies, they come in, they work hard, they’re trying to improve and they have. But we still obviously have work to do and that’s really all of them. Put them all in the same category.”
On hindsight being 20/20, if he thinks he should have taken offensive players in the first three rounds in the 2023 Draft:
“Look, I mean, right now, we’re just really focused on getting ready for the Jets and finishing the season with a win. So we’ll look into some other things at the end of the year. We always go back and try to look at the things that we’ve done, the previous year, or the previous series of years, to look at ways to improve and analyze how things were done. We’ve always done that and we’ll continue to do that. There’s always self-evaluation at the end of the season.”
On what Demario Douglas has given to the team this season:
“When Pop’s been out there, he’s given us some explosive plays. Gains some yards on his own in terms of his open-field running ability and cutting in the return game earlier in the season, and more offensively in the last few games. He’s a smart kid. He works hard. He’s got a great attitude and he’ll continue to get better if he keeps doing what he’s doing.”
On his thoughts on Jerod Mayo’s coaching with the defense this season:
“I think all of our defensive coaches have done a really good job. Collectively, they work together, it’s hard to single anybody out because they work so well together as a total group. But overall, the players, the coaches, they’ve had a good chemistry and battled through some tough situations with a great mindset and I think all those coaches deserve their share of credit on that.”
On how he said on the show how much work it was to be the head coach and GM, and if he’d be open to adding a GM here with the New England Patriots going forward?
“I appreciate the question. Again, right now, just looking to the Jets, trying to get ready to go on them. It’s been a long time since we’ve played them here, whatever, 14, 15 games ago. So really going to focus on that and that’s what we’re doing this week.”
“Look, it’s a lot of hypotheticals and you know, a lot of in the past, in the future, I’m really focused on what’s going on right now and that’s what my job is, that’s what I’m trying to do and that’s what I’m going to do.”
On the fact he’s been here for a couple of decades and that a lot of people are interested in what the future holds for him:
“Well, again, I appreciate that, Greg. I would just say whatever success I have had, I’ve tried to go about my job the same way every week. Win, lose, good years, bad years, whatever they are. Just, each week, get ready to go for that week, do the best you can to help your team win, and after that game, move on to the next one. And at the end of the season, that’s the end of the season. But on a week-to-week basis, I mean, I don’t want to spend time or get caught up in what happened five years ago, or what’s going to happen two years from now, or a bunch of other random stuff. So, just working on the Jets.”
On if he has their draft position in the back of his mind as he prepares for the Jets:
“Yeah, I’m committed to the team that I’m coaching right now. The players that are here, they deserve my best every day and that’s what I’m going to give them.”
On if they can plan on talking to him in 2024:
“Yeah, again, I appreciate the question. I’m working on the Jets. We’ll talk about next year, next year.”
On if he texted Saban a condolence text last night:
“Yeah, again, Greg, I appreciate that. The texts and conversations I have with other people in the business, I’ll keep those private.”
Thank you very much:
“You’re welcome, Greg. You know, if I was going to do anything, I’d put it out there on Twitter and MyFace so everybody could see it. If I don’t do that, then I’ll just keep it private.”
On if he could give them a little nugget for the ratings:
“Right, well you guys do a great job. I enjoy being with you every Monday. So I appreciate you guys. I’m sorry, and Courtney, not to lump you in with the guys, but I appreciate all of you.”
SITE SEARCH
