Patriots news & rumors: Belichick’s ‘high standard’; Julio Jones never an option

Is New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick losing his desire to be an NFL head coach?

Well, at the age of 69 and with the amount of success he has had during his tenure in New England, it is about time for fans and the organization to start thinking about life without Belichick, this Belichick anyway.

With both his sons serving as assistant coaches on the team, the Belichick’s DNA has the possibility of being imprinted in the organization years and maybe decades after he does walk away from the game.  But, until that day even comes close to approaching, both Stephen Belichick and Brian Belichick see no let up in their dad’s fascination with the game.

"“Certainly not,” Brian Belichick said when asked if his father’s desire to coach is weakening, via Patriots.com.  “He’s all over it.  No, I definitely. Haven’t seen any let up.  He’s as committed to this team as anyone in the organization, and that’s why he’s such a great leader to follow at the head of it.  We all know he set the standard that we all try to live up to.”More from Chowder and Champions3 Midseason Chaim Bloom Decisions That Have Killed the 2023 Red Sox10 Patriots Who Will Be Cut by Tuesday’s Roster DeadlineMLB Screws Red Sox Fans With Broadcast for Mookie Betts Return3 Most Underpaid Celtics Heading Into the 2023 SeasonRed Sox Continue Rollercoaster Season With Massive Win"

Patriots coach Bill Belichick still has a strong desire to coach

Most importantly, Belichick has a “high standard” for himself and there is probably no way he will leave the organization in a state of flux.

Whether it is winning with Cam Newton or morphing rookie quarterback Mac Jones into the next guy, Bill Belichick’s legacy will not only be his dominance over the last two decades, but the state in which he leaves the organization.

Does that mean he will coach well into his 70s?

While that is something he said he did not want to do 15 years ago, things have changed as he has gotten older.  There are new challenges ahead of him, a new fire to win and an urge to silence all his critics who don’t think Belichick can win without Tom Brady.

Well, after an unusual spending spree this offseason and a very interesting NFL Draft, it appears Belichick is as motivated as ever and not going anywhere anytime soon.

NFL rumors: New England Patriots were never really in the Julio Jones sweepstakes

So, it’s official.  Julio Jones is a member of the Tennessee Titans and his new uniform and number was trending on Twitter as soon as it was released on Tuesday.

After weeks of rumors and speculation, there was thought (well hope) that Jones would be wearing a New England Patriots uniform in 2021, but as excited as fans got over the prospect of finally having a potent No. 1 receiver to join the mix, the team wasn’t all that interested in Jones.

Of course, this all comes out after the Blockbuster trade.

As Boston Sports Journal’s Greg Bedard reported Tuesday, the Patriots interest in Jones was “very minimal” and the team did not actually enter the sweepstakes because of the asking price.

While a 2022 second-round pick and a 2023 fourth-round pick doesn’t sound like such a steep asking price, it really was the $38 million contract of Julio Jones that steered the Patriots away.

"“If the price dropped on compensation and his contract, then maybe (the Patriots) would have had some interest,” Bedard wrote in his column, via NESN."

Sounds like the same ole story when it comes to high profile names on the market.  Seems like the New England Patriots are always a team interested, but rarely are the team that pulls the trigger.