Gruff around edges
Brady takes exception to Guerrero questions
PATRIOTS NOTEBOOK
FOXBORO — Patriots quarterback Tom Brady took exception yesterday to some assumptions that have been made regarding his conversations with coach Bill Belichick.
This all stemmed from a line of questions over Brady’s relationship with trainer Alex Guerrero, whose privileges with the Patriots have been reduced this season due to a strain in his relationship with Belichick. However, sources have told the Herald the relationship between Brady and Belichick has not been an issue, and Brady was asked about that as well.
“I just try to do the right thing and win football games,” Brady said. “I let my play do the talking. I try to go out there and prepare hard every week. I put everything into it, and that’s where my focus is. It’s not much beyond that.”
Belichick also had Brady’s back earlier in the day.
“He’s great to work with,” Belichick said. “Nobody is better prepared than Tom. Tom is always ready to go, always on top of it. He really takes coaching well, and he’s got a lot of good ideas.”
As the questions continued, Brady became aggravated when asked how he reacted when Belichick told him Guerrero’s access would be reduced.
“I don’t really agree with your question, so I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Brady said. “How do you know what he said?”
As the same reporter tried to press further, Brady cut him off.
“How do you say that he said anything?” Brady said. “You don’t know anything about that.”
Brady then shared a Belichickian response when pressed about another alleged conversation with his coach.
“I have a lot of conversations with him, so those are private between he and I,” Brady said. “I don’t think anyone knows what we talk about. I’ve never talked about it. He’s never talked about it.”
Brady said the storyline hasn’t been a distraction in his preparation for tomorrow’s matchup with the Bills, and there are plenty of reasons to believe him. For starters, Belichick and Guerrero didn’t always see eye to eye, and that predates this season. Remember, the Patriots are coming off their fifth Super Bowl victory.
And second, Guerrero’s access was reduced earlier this season, not this week, and the Patriots just overtook the Steelers for the No. 1 seed in the playoff race.
“I don’t think about it,” Brady said.
Also, since so many players see Guerrero for help, Brady was asked if this storyline could become a widespread distraction. A number of players shot down that theory this week, and Brady was just the latest.
“I think you’d have to ask a lot of other people those things,” Brady said. “Everyone knows my relationship with Alex. I try to do what works for me. Everyone needs to do what works for them. I don’t think it’s any more complicated than that. The whole goal is for me to go out there and play and help the team win. I’ll do the best I can to do that, and that’s kind of what I’ve always done.”
Belichick also noted the Patriots work with “dozens” of people who aren’t necessarily fulltime employees, so he didn’t appear to put a lot of stock in one person’s reduced role. As for the Boston Globe story on the matter, Belichick challenged its credibility.
“Yeah, this is another one with no sources, right?” Belichick said “Yep, I’m not going to get into that. Yeah, because there are none mentioned.”
Twinning ways
Belichick is the master of deception, the defensive guru who has stymied some of the greatest offenses in NFL history, the man who can fool the smartest of quarterbacks.
But as it turns out, even he can be thrown off by twins.
Belichick shared high praise of the Hollister rookies yesterday, as tight end Jacob Hollister and practice squad receiver Cody Hollister have played well in their roles. At least, that’s when he can figure out who is who.
“It’s confusing to have both of them sometimes when they’re out of uniform,” Belichick admitted. “But they’re both really good kids. They work hard. They do whatever you ask them to do, and football is important to them. They really try to get better. They really have improved a lot this year, and they’ve done a good job in their role.”
Repaying Bills
Belichick and Brady are likely concerned with a number of the challenges the Bills will present tomorrow. None appear to be the potential for retribution against Rob Gronkowski, who was suspended for a game after a hit on Bills cornerback Tre’Davious White earlier this month.
“Our concern is about going out there and playing our best,” Belichick said. “Coaching our best and playing our best, that’s what we’re all focused on, so that’s what we’re going to try to do.”
Brady noted they’re in the line of fire on every single play of the season.
“It’s a physical game and there’s contact,” Brady said. “So if you throw it and they get hit, you hate to have anyone get hit. But receivers get hit. The quarterback gets hit. Everyone gets hit. I’m just going to try and find the open guy and throw it to him.”
Stall apologies
Gronkowski was apologetic for his hit to White’s head after the Patriots defeated the Bills earlier this month. But yesterday, for the second time in as many weeks, he declined to answer whether or not he reached out to White to personally apologize.
“I’ve been just focusing on, this whole week, to prepare for the game and be ready to help out the team and be with my boys out there,” Gronk said.