On Thursday, the Patriots made defensive coaches available to the media before their practice at Gillette Stadium.
Among that group of coaches was safeties coach Brian Belichick, who met with a small group of reporters in the media room.
Belichick was happy to answer questions on topics outside of the norm for someone with the last name Belichick, including hot takes from Mel Kiper Jr., the performance of his dad - Bill Belichick - on Monday Night Football, no longer coaching with his dad or brother Steve, and his observations of Drake Maye so far this season.
Question: There was kind of a debate last week, I think it started with Mel Kiper, about banning two high safeties. As a safeties coach - when you hear that, what’s your reaction?
Brian Belichick: “I don’t know [laughter]. I saw something come through, like saw that headline, basically. And it honestly didn’t even register much because it just seems like such a crazy thing, you know? I don’t know. So I moved off it pretty quickly, I would say.
“But hey, there’s a lot of, you know - we got 11 guys, they got 11 guys. There’s a lot of rules on both sides of the ball, you know? You just try to do the best we can. I don’t know [more laughter], that’s a wild - that’s a wild one.”
Q: I think his logic was that the safeties should play close to the line of scrimmage so teams could be more successful with downfield shots. Does that even make any sense, considering how much of a passing game it already is at this point?
BB: “Yeah, who knows?”
Q: Seems like a shot to you defensive heart to hear that?
BB: “Yeah, in a way. Certainly, yeah.”
Q: It’s kind of like how in baseball they banned the shift, right? Like, hit around it.
BB: “Yeah that was surprising. I don’t know - that’s kind of part of the game, right? I think it’s - you got 11 guys, you can use them however you want, you know? Like, when it’s the last play of the game, put them in the end zone, or whatever. You know?
“Like, imagine if you couldn’t do that on the last play of the game, and they had to be 10 yards from the line of scrimmage or something. I don’t know - who knows? Do business as business is being done.”
Q: Your dad has been on the ManningCast now a few times. Have you been able to watch it? What do you think of him as a broadcaster? Does it remind you of watching a game with him?
BB: “I did listen to one of them after the fact - I was able to listen to it on my way home, and I thought it was great. I definitely enjoyed listening to it. I thought he was awesome. So I’m happy he’s doing it because I get to hear him do it.
“And yeah, it kind of brings you, you know - gives you memories of hearing him say stuff like that in the past. Not saying it ‘clearly’ as he may have, you know, other times in person [laughter]. But I think he’s doing a great job, and I’m enjoying being able to follow along with it.
“I’m not up-to-date. One of them I’ve listened to, and it was awesome. So I’m excited to hear the next one.”
Q: Was it at all strange, especially this summer, not having him or Steve around? Does it feel normal now?
BB: “I think it’s just one of those - you know, change is one of the inevitabilities of life, right? Where, there’s really nothing you can do about it one way or the other, you know? People gotta move on.
“You know, I enjoy being here, obviously. I’ve talked about that a lot. Love working with these guys, and I’m happy that my family’s having a good time and doing what they’re doing. And it’s great to be able to talk to them about stuff.
“It’s great for them to get exposure on these things that they’re doing, and for me to be able to hear about them, you know? So, just trying to make the most of every day, and it is what it is. Things are gonna change in life.”
Q: On Drake Maye - curious what you’ve seen from him as the season has gone on, some of the improvements and your impressions
BB: “I’ll leave that to the offensive coaches, but I enjoy watching him, competing against him. You know, it’s been fun, and it’s fun to work with the quarterbacks on the other side - ask them about stuff, work on the look for the opponent, stuff like that. He’s been awesome with that.
“Obviously he’s getting more and more experience in the offense, and it’s fun to watch him and work with him.”
This is Belichick’s fifth season as safeties coach following three seasons as a coaching assistant with the Patriots. He originally joined the organization as a scouting assistant in 2016.