Dead Dynasty: Former Patriots Linebacker Says Bill Belichick Losing 'Cache'
The good: This season, New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick inched closer to having the most wins in NFL history.
The bad: In nine years without Tom Brady, Belichick's teams have gone 66-80 and missed the playoffs seven times.
The ugly: At 71 by the time the 2023 season kicks off, Belichick may have lost - on the field and in the locker room - his Hall-of-Fame fastball.
This year's version of the Patriots was confounding, frustrating and, after last weekend's loss to the Buffalo Bills, unsuccessful. Littered by offensive haplessness, special teams breakdowns, a quarterback controversy and inexplicable crunch-time gaffes such as the lunatic lateral in Las Vegas and the Christmas crumble fumble in the final minute against Cincinnati, this New England team was as anti-Belichickian as any during his 23-year tenure.
Not buttoned-up. Not bound for the postseason.
By missing the playoffs for the second time in three years and going 25-25 without a playoff win since Brady left town, Belichick's reputation is taking a ding.
So, too, his authority?
During the Patriots' dynasty, Belichick was revered and even feared like a mob boss. But now? Two roster moves over the weekend point to his weakened leadership.
Punter Jake Bailey's agent is essentially calling Belichick a liar over his client being put on the suspended list. And to earn his spot alongside Bailey in suspension, cornerback Jack Jones - a rookie, for crying out loud - apparently had the audacity recently to "talk back" to the most successful coach in NFL history.
Said Sports Illustrated NFL writer Albert Breer last weekend, "My understanding of the way that it went is: (Jones) was late to rehab sessions. He missed rehab sessions. I think he even talked back to Bill a little bit about it, to the point where Bill felt like he had to address it in a team meeting."
Upon hearing the story, former Patriots linebacker Ted Johnson was stunned.
"That's amazing," Johnson said. "The ecosystem is so different now. Like, you're a rookie, and you're going toe-to-toe with Bill in a meeting? He's just lost some of his cache, it feels like. They don't respect him the way they used to. For rookies to be challenging Bill like that in front of everybody is unbelievable to me."
According to Breer, the Patriots' lack of success without Brady is at the heart of Belichick's dented armor.
"I think there's a lot of 'why' going on in the building right now when it comes to the players," Breer said. "It's all well and good to say, 'Because I said so' when you're 14-3 and going to the AFC Championship Game every year. But doesn't fly the same way when you're 8-9."
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