’Bama looks at Daboll
Tide eye TE coach as offensive coordinator
Josh McDaniels is staying put, but the Patriots may still lose one of the brightest minds on their offensive coaching staff.
Tight ends coach Brian Daboll plans to interview for the job as Alabama’s offensive coordinator, according to Fox Sports. Daboll served under Alabama head coach Nick Saban as a graduate assistant when the latter was still coaching at Michigan State.
Daboll has had two stints in Foxboro. The first was from 2000-06, and then again since 2013. He initially left to become the quarterbacks coach for the New York Jets, then served as the offensive coordinator for the Cleveland Browns, Miami Dolphins and Kansas City Chiefs.
Since returning, Daboll has been given play-calling duties in preseason games on more than one occasion. He was seen as a potential successor to McDaniels, if McDaniels left for a head coaching job.
Kraft and Trump
Robert Kraft may be friends with President Donald Trump, but the Patriots owner isn’t taking it personally that some players are skipping the team’s White House trip.
Kraft, speaking on the Today Show yesterday, downplayed the significance of Martellus Bennett, LeGarrette Blount, Dont’a Hightower, Chris Long, Alan Branch and Devin McCourty saying they won’t attend.
“You know, some of the players have the privilege of going in college because they’re on national championship teams, others have family commitments. But this is America. We’re all free to do whatever’s best for us,” Kraft said. “We’re just privileged to be in a position to be going.”
Kraft, who dined with Trump last week, was asked if his friendship with the president strained his relationship with the players.
“Well, you know what’s interesting, this is our, I’m happy to say, fifth Super Bowl in the last 15, 16 years,” Kraft said. “And every time we’ve had the privilege of going to the White House, a dozen of our players don’t go. This is the first time it’s gotten any media attention.”
Tom Brady skipped the trip to the White House after Super Bowl XLIX, however, and heard criticism after the event.
Jersey heist
The Patriots have not relented in trying to track down Brady’s stolen Super Bowl LI jersey.
Kraft expressed his frustration on Fox Business Network, but thinks good news is on the horizon.
“It’s very sad to me that someone would do something like this, and it’s like taking a great Chagall or Picasso or something. You can never display it, and somehow, I feel there’ll be some news that’ll clear this up in the not too distant future,” Kraft said. “I hope it’ll be cleared up soon. I think that a lot of people spend a lot of time looking into the matter and what happened, and I’d rather not say anything that would cause any problems in the work that’s been done. One way or another that jersey will be back.”
Jones dismayed
After a rocky rookie season, Cyrus Jones posted a lengthy message on Instagram lamenting the missteps of his first year in the NFL.
“Reflecting back on my rookie season, this was by far one of the most challenging times in my life,” Jones wrote Sunday night. “I experienced a lot of pain, disappointment, embarrassment and overall dissatisfaction with myself.”
Jones was the Patriots’ highest pick in the 2016 draft, a second-rounder out of Alabama. He was pegged as a player who could contribute as a kick returner, but fumbling woes forced him to the sideline.
His on-field struggles taught him lessons that made him “better and wiser,” he said.