Some Patriots and NFL news and notes on this Friday:
Belichick Joining Inside the NFL
Former New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick has seemingly found the perfect opportunity this fall, with Belichick reportedly set to join The CW on Inside the NFL during the 2024 season.
“I’m thrilled to join my new team at NFL Films and to work on such a historic television franchise,” said Bill Belichick via the network’s press release. “I’ve always appreciated INSIDE THE NFL’s depth of analysis, and I hope to bring the same detailed insight to The CW by talking real football with real pros – Ryan, Chris and Chad – this coming season.”
The addition of Belichick certainly raises the bar from an analysis standpoint, as he joins Chris Long, Chad Johnson, and Ryan Clark on the program and is already certainly the smartest guy among that group.
For anyone who has watched this show, while the analysis and discussion are typically insightful, one of the other key reasons to watch is for the compilations for each match-up created by NFL Films each week. The release points out that those typically include “pivotal game action captured by NFL Films’ legendary cinematographers and exclusive all-access ‘mic’d up’ audio.”
As a result, there are always additional tidbits that are captured throughout each game every week that make it worth watching.
The show will air every Friday night throughout the season, which will begin Friday, August 30 (9:00-10:00pm ET/PT).
Senior Producer and Showrunner of NFL Films Steve Manzel also said he’s thrilled to have Belichick on board.
“Over the years, NFL Films and Coach Belichick have enjoyed a long and collaborative relationship,” said Menzel. “Adding his football mind to an already impressive roster on Inside the NFL presents an incredible creative opportunity.”
Belichick is also slated to join the Pat McAfee Show, with a weekly appearance also reportedly set to occur during this upcoming season.
“Receiver” Documentary Revealing
With Hard Knocks revealing bits and pieces of the behind-the-scenes dealings of the New York Giants this offseason, many fans were surprised – and thrilled – with the level of access granted during that program. Very rarely are we ever provided much insight into the process, let alone at that level.
The Netflix Documentary Receiver apparently provided a similar experience during its most recent episode, which included an eye-opening bit of information as pointed out by ESPN Vikings Reporter Kevin Seifert on wideout Justin Jefferson.
With his contract situation in question, there was apparently a significant amount of speculation on his future during last season, as well as some questioning whether or not his lack of an extension was a factor as he missed extended time due to a hamstring injury that put him on injured reserve for a portion of last season.
However, the documentary revealed that Jefferson felt a “pop” when he suffered the injury, with medical details by Vikings vice president of player health and performance, Tyler Williams, revealing that it was a “high grade” severity, with a risk of the muscle potentially tearing away completely.
The timetable for recovery for an injury like that, as explained by Williams, is typically 8-10 weeks, which explains the decision. The additional bit of insight also adds the context that was missing at the time.
Jefferson ended up sitting out nine weeks and suffered another injury during his return when he was struck in the back by Raiders safety Marcus Epps. He came back to the huddle, but the documentary caught him coughing and having difficulty, with Jefferson then heading to the sideline, where he reportedly began spitting up blood. The initial thought by the medical staff was that he perhaps bit his tongue. Instead, it was actually worse.
The injury on television was reported as a “chest” injury, but he reportedly suffered a “pulmonary contusion,” which was a bruised lung.
Somehow, after a visit at the local hospital where the initial diagnosis saw him avoid suffering any broken ribs or a collapsed lung, Jefferson ended up back at practice and was there for his team the next week. He ended up playing all but three plays six days later against the Bengals.
Needless to say, the documentary changed the narrative of what Jefferson was really dealing with, which at the time had some wondering if he was simply just a disgruntled player milking an injury.
Instead, it showed that he was certainly worth the 4-year, $140 million deal he received this offseason, and it was impressive to see the toughness he ultimately displayed during what turned out to be significant setbacks he had to overcome last season.
It’s also a reminder that having this access is definitely valuable for fans. However, both their Quarterback series and this one have reportedly had struggles getting guys to agree to do it, which is disappointing—at least selfishly from a fan perspective. Because all of these types of programs absolutely tend to be fascinating to watch.
Odds and Ends
Stephon Gilmore remains a player who could be a possibility to return to the Patriots, and at this time three years ago in 2021, there was uncertainty between the two sides regarding his contract, as well as the fact he suffered a quad injury the previous year. The latter saw him start the season on PUP, with the two sides ultimately failing to agree to an extension and Gilmore getting traded to Carolina. The club unsuccessfully tried to reacquire him last summer, and with a new regime, the question now is obviously whether or not all of that is water under the bridge. Gilmore was on hand during Tom Brady’s Patriots Hall of Fame induction ceremony last month and offered up a “You never know” comment regarding a possible return. They could certainly use his help, so it remains something to keep an eye on. … With the Olympics on tap for this summer, it’s hard not to wonder if we’ll potentially see the NFL involved four years from now in 2028. There have been some rumblings by players who want to take part in them, with the Patriots first opponent, Bengals QB Joe Burrow, saying he’d like to be a part of the Olympic flag football team. “I really want to play for the Olympic flag football team,” said Burrow via All Bengals during a recent appearance on the “Pardon My Take” podcast. “Like Me, Ja’Marr (Chase), Justin (Jefferson), Me and my friends out there playing football. I think it’d be really cool.” One key question is likely the restrictions when it comes to clauses in their contracts, although some might remember a few years ago when former Patriot Nate Ebner took part on an Olympic rugby team, which is certainly a more physical sport than this one. … Looking at things around the AFC, Dan Graziano of ESPN believes that the Pittsburgh Steelers will be in the market for a quarterback next offseason and he feels Cowboys QB Dak Prescott – who he also feels is potentially in his final season in Dallas – could very well end up on their radar if both Wilson and Fields don’t pan out. “The Steelers have never had a losing record under coach Mike Tomlin, which means they’ve never really selected high enough to find a true franchise quarterback in the draft. That means they have to find creative solutions in the post-Ben Roethlisberger era,” he writes. “But the two potential solutions they found this offseason are unquestionably imperfect ones, so don’t be at all surprised if they find themselves in the same situation next spring.” … Graziano also believes Kirk Cousins may be one-and-done in Atlanta, despite the 4-year, $180 million deal he signed this offseason. He feels that while cutting him doesn’t make sense from a financial sense, trading Cousins could be a possibility if Michael Penix Jr. ends up proving he can play. “Trading Cousins would mean a $37.5 million dead-money charge for 2025, and they would have paid him $62.5 million for one season,” writes Graziano. “That’s also not ideal, but if Atlanta really believes in Penix and thinks he’s ready at that point, it’s not prohibitive.” That could also put Cousins on the radar for another AFC club next offseason, whether it’s Las Vegas or a team like Tennessee, who Graziano believes could be in the market next offseason, which will also be something to watch. … According to a story in Cleveland Magazine, former Browns QB Bernie Kosar, who was famously benched and then cut by then head coach Bill Belichick back in 1993 has been diagnosed with cirrhosis of the liver. The situation is reportedly not good, with the story revealing there’s a 90% chance he’ll need a new liver. The 60-year old was also diagnosed with Parkinson’s back in Feburary. It’s been an up-and-down journey for Kosar, who after a tough stretch is feeling better, focusing on his diet and trying to do the right things. For now he’s trying to remain positive. “It’s amazing that you can feel as good as I do despite all this stuff going on,” said Kosar. “I can see that what I’m doing is making a difference. I strongly believe it will continue. Time will tell.’’
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Ian Logue is a Seacoast native and owner and senior writer for PatsFans.com, an independent media site covering the New England Patriots and has been running this site in one form or another since 1997.
Great article. Especially given the quiet period prior to camp. Nice job. . Regarding Belichick, it will be interesting to see him in that setting and if he’s embraced given he was essentially anti-media (my view) for so long. He came accross as arrogant to many, and there’s many fans that dislike him as such – even in Patriot nation. I always felt that BB missed his queue to evolve in the media space that changed in his time here. What I mean is, as the internet and media channels grew a ton in that time, and the volume of… Read more »