Has anyone else noticed that New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick’s recent press conference outfits have no Patriots insignias these days?
For “conspiracy theorists”, this could be big news. Or, this may be “much ado about nothing”. But one thing looks perfectly clear, it sure seems to be a departure from the past.
New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick time ending?
Let’s explore this in some more detail. Signals, especially around the New England Patriots have always seemed to have more meaning than first appears.
This space has commented on the tell-tale sign that if a coach or player puts his house on the market, it could mean, “So long”.
The recent application of this in Stephon Gilmore‘s situation of reportedly putting his home on the market seems to put that theory to the test, but it’s still preseason so we’ll see.
But Belichick’s non-use of any Patriots insignia in press conferences seems very odd indeed and could that perhaps mean that there has been a “spiritual” if not yet an actual rift in his relationship with the team and its owner?
It’s not being ruled out here. Here’s why.
Could Belichick’s non-use of the New England Patriots insignias at his recent press conferences mean his departure?
First of all, it’s a new phenomenon and it’s seems altogether a radical departure from the past. No hoodie in whatever shape with the Patriots Flying Elvis on board. No jacket with the Elvis.
In fact, at one recent press conference, it looked as though an insignia may have been taken off. No telling if that was a Patriots insignia though. But it certainly did not display one. That’s for sure.
So, why would Belichick want to disassociate himself from the team at which he cemented a first-ballot Pro Football Hall of Fame spot without any doubt whatsoever? Actually, there may be a reason.
Here it is. Both Belichick and his boss, the real top guy of the Patriots, Mr. Robert Kraft, are individuals with huge egos. Doubt there will be any questioning of that.
And why not? One is a successful billionaire who bought the Patriots for what seemed like an exorbitant amount back then (peanuts now) and has turned into billions more.
That’s called business foresight and acumen of the highest order, folks. The guy who pulled that off certainly has a right to have a large ego.
On the other hand, Belichick has done what no other coach has ever done in winning six Super Bowl titles in the free agency era. Unprecedented.
Whether he was the driving force or if it was a certain No. 12 is an issue for another day and has been dealt with previously at length. Yet, Belichick was the coach and he gets the bragging rights no matter.
So both have a right to be egotistical to the Nth degree As they say, it ain’t braggin’ when you can back it up. In both cases, they can. They both are monoliths in the NFL.
So why a possible rift?
It says here it may just be because of this offseason. For the first time in two decades, Mr. Kraft stepped in and intervened, and commented publicly on the personnel management of the team and his seeming displeasure with the same.
No long-time observer of this team can forget the Bill Parcells “groceries” rift and ultimate split from the team and New England. It happened over personnel control.
This offseason as has been written in this space, Mr. Kraft demonstrably and clearly expressed his dissatisfaction publicly with the Patriots quarterback situation (no doubt the Tom Brady fiasco had to enter into this comment) and recent drafts.
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The result was a truly un-Belichickian offseason. Belichick went all-in in the free agency market as never before.
In addition, he for once conducted a draft that actually seemed to be based on sensible decision-making rather than off-the-wall selections many of which subsequently flopped. And he took a quarterback in the first round.
Now, he has seemed rather unceremoniously to have dumped the Patriots’ insignias on his person in his press conferences in a most public example of his possibly indicating he may be leaving before he actually steps out the door.
In one press conference, he wore a jacket from which it seemed a logo may have been removed. No idea, really, if it was in fact a Patriots logo, but who knows?
Now, all this may not be at all significant, or it could mean everything. It seems to be a change, a very public change, and it needed to be pointed out.
Is this an expression of Bill Belichick’s saying he may be leaving the Patriots? Or not?
Who knows. But Brady made the same signals (wearing a non-Patriots cap, etc. at press conferences) and he took a powder. Now, maybe it’s Belichick’s turn.
We don’t have a clue what any of this means, if anything, but it sure looks like there could be trouble in paradise and a change may be in the offing. We’ll see.