FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Quick-hit thoughts and notes around the New England Patriots and NFL:
1. Same ol’ Bill: Bill Belichick at 70 years old. Same as it ever was.
There were several takeaways from the media’s first look at Patriots spring practice last week, but perhaps nothing rates more significant than this:
As Belichick attempts to do what no head coach in the history of the NFL has done — win a Super Bowl after his 70th birthday — his tank looks full. Belichick at a Patriots 2022 practice looked no different than a 2012 practice, or one in 2002.
In fact, he might have been more involved with some of the fundamental teaching that is at the core of spring practices.
“I’ve always said, when people ask me what’s Bill like, that he’s the model of consistency,” said Patriots safety and captain Devin McCourty, who has been with the team since 2010. “Showing up to your job every day, having the same attitude, the same messaging, and being able to do that over and over again is hard.
“He continues to come in here, Day 1 of OTAs, for however many years it is, and it’s the same intensity.”
This marks Belichick’s 48th season in the NFL and 28th as a head coach (including his stint in Cleveland from 1991 to ’95). His passion for the fundamentals, details and every facet of football still percolates, as evidenced by one moment in practice when he pulled practice-squad receiver Malcolm Perry aside, flashed his hands in front of him, and discussed how Perry should attack the ball.
Perry probably won’t be on the 53-man roster when the season begins, but there’s a chance he’s called on at some point to help the Patriots win a game.
It was peak Belichick.
“It’s fundamentals, doing the right things, the small things over and over again. He never slips up on that,” McCourty…
Source : espn
