01 March 2024 , 01:00
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Bill Belichick, the former head coach of the New England Patriots, seemed to have the support of his players before his dismissal, as evidenced by the NFLPA's Annual Report Card. Even though the team struggled on the field in 2023, players thought higher of Belichick compared with owner Robert Kraft.
Belichick ended his 24-year stint as the Patriots' coach in January. His time at Gillette Stadium was marked by six Super Bowl wins, which he achieved with the help of quarterback Tom Brady. After Brady left in 2019, the team's success dwindled, though the struggles can perhaps be attributed to diminished roster quality as much as tactical issues.
Even though Belichick has left and Jerod Mayo has taken over, it seems that the ex-coach still had the backing of the Patriots' players. According to a survey of 1,706 players by the NFLPA, the head coach and his training staff were doing well enough to get a "B-" rating from the players.
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Interestingly, the survey also showed that people were not too happy with the efforts of Robert Kraft, the long-time owner of the Patriots. Kraft got a "D+."
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The Patriots didn't get any high grades in the survey. The weight room got an "F," the locker room a "C," the strength coaches a "C-," team travel a "D," the training room a "C," and how families are treated got an "F-."
The only things that got the same or better grades than the head coach and the training staff were the food, which got a "B-," and the nutritionist, who got a "B" But it seems like changes are coming at Gillette Stadium. Eliot Wolf, the director of scouting, recently said that they're trying to create a more open and relaxed atmosphere.
Jerod Mayo is looking to put his own stamp on the New England Patriots after being installed as their new head coach (Danielle Parhizkaran/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)New head coach Mayo spoke up to clear the air following that remark, saying: "It's going to be different, but at the same time I would say Bill did a great job for a long period of time. I don't want you [in the media] to take this as 'because we're changing, there are shots toward the previous regime.'"
He added that while changes are coming, they aim to keep winning like before: "In saying that, we will do it differently and it will feel different. But at the end of the day, we would like to replicate the success that the prior regime has had. I learned a lot from Bill and also his staff. Now we'll see what this chapter looks like in the franchise."
Wolf also shared his excitement about the future with Mayo leading the team: "This is a new program, and we're headed in the right direction. It's a new era. We have leadership with Jerod Mayo that is going to be tremendous."
He praised Mayo's qualities and hinted at big things ahead: "He's just an unbelievable leader and developer of people. And I think that as we move forward with a new offense and defense, it's going to be pretty special and exciting here."