1 – Robert Kraft was clearly quite proud to see the 124th Army-Navy game held at Gillette Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
Part of the lead up to one of the most unique games in all of sports included the Patriots owner doing a pregame interview with ESPN’s College Gameday crew that was broadcasting live from Foxborough.
Depending on your viewpoint, Kraft’s comments during the interview may have tipped his hand when it comes to the ongoing and growing debate as to whether Bill Belichick will or even should return as New England’s head coach with the Patriots mired in the midst of a previously unfathomably-ugly 3-10 season.
When Kraft was asked by Kirk Herbstreit about the keys to his success in business and football, the patriarch of Patriot Nation said it started with people and interestingly focused on Belichick’s service time in New England.
“It’s all about people, collecting good people, people of good character, people that are loyal. I’m very happy that most of our key people have been with us a long time. You know we have a head coach who’s been with us 24 years, I think that’s the longest serving head coach. But that’s the model we have in all our companies,” Kraft said.
Was that a way for Kraft to support his head coach who’s been under increased fire from fans and media alike? An indication that Belichick might indeed be back for a 25th season to continue what for so long had been a successful model?
“We like to win so we want to do everything we can to get our team back so we can be winning,” Kraft said.
Immediately following that comment former Colts punter and Gameday cohost Pat McAfee said, “I don’t envy your position, what’s about to happen. We all know. We don’t have to ask.”
McAfee was clearly alluding to the potential need to move on from Belichick, to which Kraft said nothing and simply reached out and shook hands with his interviewer.
Was that Kraft tacitly acknowledging “what’s about to happen” to Belichick and his time in New England?
Was the earlier answer about the importance of people and Belichick in particular a more important insight into what the future might hold in Foxborough?
Like so much in this world, it’s all up to interpretation.
And we’ll all find out one way or another in about a month when the dismal 2023 season has played itself out and the focus shifts to what will assuredly will be an offseason of change in New England in some form or fashion.
2 – Kraft wasn’t the only member of the New England organization to shine in the spotlight of the Army-Navy game coverage on ESPN. Belichick joined the Gameday crew as a guest picker. While his pick for the game was obvious as the son of a longtime Navy assistant coach/scout, Belichick’s donning of a Roger Staubach-era helmet to show his allegiance was must-see TV.
With Belichick’s coaching and maybe even professional future up in the air, his Gameday appearance once again showed that if he ever chose to go down the road of TV analyst the future Hall of Fame coach would be worth the watch. An Emmy Award winner for his work with NFL Network’s “NFL 100 All-Time Team,” Belichick showed once again that his press conference and coaching persona is far from all he’d bring to a possible role in TV.
3 – While Belichick was all smiles on the Gameday set, game days this fall have been far from a happy experience for the New England head coach. Certainly losing 10 games is not something Belichick envisioned.
Nor could he likely have expected that his job status would be such a talking point, with a majority of Patriots fans now admitting that they do not want Belichick back in his current role in 2024. Following Thursday night’s much-needed win over the Steelers in Pittsburgh, safety Jabrill Peppers declared that the team had to get it done for their coach and all the “flak” he’s been taking this fall. It wasn’t the first time the veteran had voiced support for Belichick and the job he’s done despite the lack of positive results this season. While there are plenty of factors that go into the decision regarding Belichick’s future, the buy-in and continued loyalty he’s gotten from players like Peppers and others during this difficult season can’t and shouldn’t be overlooked.
4 – For his part, Belichick is well aware of the talent and leadership he has at this safety position with Peppers and Kyle Dugger. Asked recently about the limited playing time that third-round rookie safety/linebacker Marte Mapu has seen, Belichick pointed to the impressive guys ahead of him on the depth chart.
“We have pretty good depth at that position,” Belichick said last week. “Obviously Peppers and Dugger are two of our best players and two of the better players in the league at the position. Not really looking to get them off the field just to get playing time for somebody.”
5 – Post-win, Matthew Slater-led victory celebrations have been few and far between this season. The immense joy and maybe relief seen in the Patriots.com video from the locker room last Thursday night in Pittsburgh was notable, even with many outside the locker room focused on the highest draft pick possible next April. Also notable was hug shared by Slater and fellow longtime captain David Andrews. It’s been a tough season for the core members of the Patriots leadership. Andrews, in particular, has had to be the first guy at the postgame microphone to try to answer for New England’s losing ways and offensive struggles. He’s done the thankless job about as well as could be expected. While many presume this could be the final season for Slater in a Patriots uniform, Andrews is under contract for one more season in New England. Still, there is the possibility that Thursday in Pittsburgh will be one of the final victory celebrations for the leadership duo, an important moment captured in their embrace.
6 – Ezekiel Elliott probably didn’t envision having to wait until December to get his third win of the season when he decided to sign with the Patriots this summer. But while it’s been a tough season for the team, the veteran running back has handled his role as well as anyone could have expected. That included 29 touches – 22 rushes and a game-high seven receptions – in the win over the Steelers. Filling in for the injured Rhamondre Stevenson, it was Elliott’s most touches in a game since Week 6 of 2019 as he played all but five offensive snaps. Not too many members of the New England offense can say they’ve lived up to or exceeded hopes and expectations this fall, but Elliott would certainly be one of the few. And the Patriots would have been lost without him on Thursday night.
7 – The Patriots claimed linebacker Christian Ellis off waivers from the Eagles and to make room on the roster released veteran running back/wide receiver Ty Montgomery. Given the unique timing of the waiver claim and roster transactions due to the Thursday night game, the Ellis-for-Montgomery swap was likely in the works before the veteran offensive player gave up a blocked punt that could have proven costly in Pittsburgh. Montgomery was actually replaced on the punt team after the snafu and then on the roster mere hours later. Tough way to go out, if his time in New England is indeed up.
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