Wasting Their Time? Bill Belichick’s Final Year Ends With a Poor Grade by NFLPA
Players apparently felt Belichick wasn't efficient with their time in 2023.
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The NFLPA released a report card for 2024 on Wednesday, and there was one notable grade that stood out when it came to how the players apparently viewed Bill Belichick in his final season.
For the first time, the NFLPA included grades for head coaches, and the former coach didn’t fare too well compared to his peers.
Belichick was given a B- rating by the team in the poll, ranking him 27th in the NFL, but two notes that were included were surprising.
According to the survey, “Only 55% of players feel that former head coach Bill Belichick was efficient with their time (31st overall),” with the NFLPA also adding, “The players feel that Bill Belichick was rarely willing to listen to the locker room (31st overall).”
Those two were second-worst only to former Las Vegas Raiders coach Josh McDaniels, who was fired midseason. “Only 39% of players feel that Josh McDaniels was efficient with their time (32nd overall),” with the NFLPA adding in, “He was also ranked least likely to listen to his locker room of any NFL head coach.”
It’s hard to take a lot from this, given that it lacks context since a similar survey prior to this season – the worst of Belichick’s tenure – wasn’t conducted.
Meanwhile, there’s apparently frustration with the workout facilities at Gillette Stadium, which players ranked as worst in the NFL.
Owner Robert Kraft didn’t get a great score in this report card, with the NFLPA writing that, “Club owner Robert Kraft receives a rating of 6.9/10 from Patriot players when considering his willingness to invest in the facilities (27th overall).”
The Weight room received a grade of an “F”, and was ranked dead last in the league among players, with players saying the facility lacked amenities that were available to them off site.
Treatment of families also scored an F, with the NFLPA noting that the Patriots, “are one of 12 teams that do not provide a family room during games, and, “are one of seven teams that do not provide daycare support for players’ children on gameday.” They are also, “one of only four teams that do not offer either a family room or daycare.”
Meanwhile, Andy Reid of the Kansas City Chiefs is the coach who received the highest score from his players, with the report saying, “95% of players feel Andy Reid is efficient with their time (11th overall),” and, “The players feel that Andy Reid is very willing to listen to the locker room (6th overall).
However, ironically, Kansas City Chiefs owner Clark Hunt came in dead last at 32nd, receiving a rating of 4.9/10 when it came to Chiefs players considering his willingness to invest in the facilities.
Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross came in 1st, with the NFLPA writing that, “Club owner Stephen Ross receives a rating of 9.9/10 from Dolphins players when considering his willingness to invest in the facilities (1st overall).”
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