Bill Belichick’s dealing with of Mac Jones retains getting stranger. Or to be extra particular, it’s each curious and eye-opening.
Between him refusing to call Jones the starter when he was wholesome sufficient to return from harm earlier within the yr, to final week not saying Jones would begin the remainder of the way in which was puzzling sufficient.
Now this.
During Belichick’s Wednesday presser with the media, he was requested a easy sufficient query, and his reply, or lack of 1, opened up a large can of worms.
What was stated, or not stated when the Patriots head coach was requested if he thought Jones had crossed the road along with his low hit on Eli Apple throughout Saturday’s sport with the Bengals, and if he concurred with Apple and others that Mac was a unclean participant, was telling.
Why? Because the response may very well be construed as Belichick not supporting his participant.
He didn’t present a sure or no response, or something even remotely backing Jones.
He simply supplied one in every of his basic non-answers.
“You’d have to talk to those guys about that. I don’t know,” Belichick stated when requested in regards to the accusations in opposition to Jones.
That is bound to fire up some mud and ruffle various feathers within the lead as much as the group’s make-or-break sport with Miami.
Even although Belichick is the champion of avoiding distractions, and is detest to create any of them himself, that’s precisely what he did.
Deflection and avoidance doesn’t shut the door on the problem. It pours gasoline on it.
And in a yr the place Belichick has made some curious selections with the group, most notably his alternative of coaches to deal with the offense, this simply provides to the pile.
Initially, Belichick was requested if he had a difficulty with something Jones did on the play in query, which is at the moment being reviewed by the league.
“I’ll leave it to the officials to officiate the game,” stated Belichick. “Doesn’t really matter what I think.”
Except, his view of the quarterback does matter. It’s an important view of anybody. And primarily based on the repeated sample, Belichick doesn’t appear to be a member of Mac’s fan membership.
Why couldn’t he simply help Jones, like most head coaches would? Why couldn’t he simply say he didn’t agree? Because he’s left the impression that he actually does suppose his quarterback is a unclean participant.
Was he simply being his common grumpy, grumbling self with the media? Maybe, however he’s sensible sufficient to know the place his solutions are going to guide.
On Tuesday, Patriots veteran Matthew Slater, one of the revered gamers within the room, was requested the identical query concerning Jones. He didn’t beat across the bush, defer to the events concerned or go away any room for interpretation along with his reply.
“Look, I don’t see it as such with him being a dirty player,” Slater stated when requested in regards to the topic throughout a video name. “That’s not the individual I do know, that’s not the younger man I’ve gotten an opportunity to spend time across the final couple of years.
“I understand that narratives are made up of different people’s opinions, different people’s experiences with a person, or with an organization, or whatever it may be. You can’t control those narratives. People are going to interpret events the way they interpret them. I think we can’t concern ourselves too much with that because whatever we say isn’t going to change what people think or say about any particular player on this team.”
Slater couldn’t have given a greater reply. He helps his quarterback, whereas additionally respecting the notion that others could have a distinct view. So there’s nothing to see right here. No commotion, no distraction, nothing. That was the right option to deal with it.
Belichick?
Don’t ask him. Ask the accusers.
Of course, as talked about above, this might simply be Belichick being Belichick. The sample of non-support, nonetheless, suggests in any other case.
While he has backed Mac at occasions, the occasions he doesn’t stick out like a blocked punt.
As for Jones, in between making ready for Miami and preparing for the massive stakes sport, he’s needed to take care of the aftershocks from making that low hit on Apple. He’s been requested straight out about being a unclean participant and incomes that fame in some circles.
Listening to him Wednesday throughout his weekly media session, he’s simply making an attempt to maintain it on the degree of outdoor noise, and go away it at that, though Belichick’s response is likely to be arduous to disregard.
“Everybody has an opinion, and the biggest thing for me is to focus on being the best teammate I can be and earning the respect of the people in this building, and the people I care about,” stated Jones, who’s going through a high quality following league overview. “Obviously, I have respect for everybody around the league. It takes a lot to get to this league. There’s really good players out there and we’re all playing hard, trying to win. At the end of the day, you have to keep that in mind. It’s a game. You want to have fun and enjoy it and compete against each other. That’s something I’ve always done. I think my teammates appreciate that about me.”
Earlier within the week throughout his radio look on WEEI, Jones termed it a “split-second” choice and that he would by no means intentionally attempt to injure somebody.
Does Belichick consider that? Based on his reply Wednesday, it’s arduous to say.
Source: www.bostonherald.com