Patriot owner Robert Kraft has spoken and, boy, is he pissed. Well, he didn’t actually come out and say that, but after covering the man since he bought the team in 1994, I can read between his lines.
When asked how he felt about this 7-9 season the owner couldn’t bring himself to use the exact language that described his emotional state. Make no mistake, Bill Belichick is on the hot seat. In honor of start of baseball season, let’s say he is a half a strike away from losing his gig.
STRIKE ONE: He failed to accurately evaluate the most important position in the game, the quarterback. Brady did not leave. He was forced out. Belichick did not provide Tom with the roster to remain a true contender for a Super Bowl title and he low-balled him with a take it or leave it $15 million offer. Belichick made the biggest mistake of his life letting Brady walk.
STRIKE TWO: Cam Newton? Come again? Belichick was totally caught off guard when Tom took off for Tampa. No way Bill saw this coming. It was very un-Belichick like to be so unprepared. Crazy to think, but the area that will eventually take the greatest coach in the game down is the position that delivered him to that status. No one undervalues the quarterback position more than this general manager. But his quarterback, ah, ex-quarterback did more for his legendary status than anything or anyone else. It is now apparent, Brady made Belichick.
STRIKE TWO AND A HALF: How much? In a 24-hour period Belichick tossed out $137.5 million of Robert Kraft’s cash in guaranteed money. When Kraft accurately stated that the team hadn’t drafted, well, that was code for, “If Bill the GM hadn’t been so terrible in picking players, I wouldn’t have had to spend all of this money!”
STRIKE THREE?: Belichick is not there yet but he is deep in the count. If Jimmy Garoppolo doesn’t work out and Newton is the QB again forget it people. Strike three – you’re out, Bill. The only thing might save him is if the Pats can draft one of the Top 5 quarterbacks, Mac Jones included. I don’t see this happening. I don’t think the Pats can move up.
Bill has backed himself into a corner big time and the owner is not happy. I know the Kraft organization had to be livid watching one of the Three Stooges of the NFL known as the Glazer brothers accept the Lombardi trophy with their quarterback, and I don’t blame them.
So far, Robert Kraft sided with the wrong guy and if that guy does not fix it this year it is over.