Coaches learning from Belichick
Bill Belichick may not be coaching this spring, but he’s still hitting the college circuit. Last week, he took in practice at the University of Washington, where his son, Steve, is defensive coordinator and former Patriots quarterbacks coach Jedd Fisch is head coach. And Belichick was the featured speaker recently at the University of Nebraska’s high school coaching clinic, which reflects his good relationship with Cornhuskers coach and former Carolina head coach Matt Rhule.
Speaking to reporters the next day, Rhule said he was blown away by Belichick’s insight, stamina, and willingness to help.
“I was embarrassed yesterday listening to him — how smart he is, how simple it was,” Rhule said. “Three and a half hours in, I was like, ‘Coach, would you like a water? Coffee? Would you like to use the restroom?’ ‘Cause I desperately had to use the restroom. And he was like, ‘I’m fine, Matt,’ and I was like, ‘Yes, sir.’ ”
“You know, the only reason why we don’t get through more information is because he’s having to slow down to make sure you understand what he’s saying.”
Should he stay or should he own?
Tom Brady stirred the pot last week when, appearing on the “DeepCut” podcast, he said he “wouldn’t be opposed to it” if a team called and asked him to play quarterback, specifically mentioning the Patriots and Raiders.
But it’s the other part of his answer that’s arguably more important: “I don’t know if they’re going to let me, if I become an owner of an NFL team,” Brady said.
This confirms that Brady is still trying to buy a slice of the Raiders, even though the deal has been red-flagged by the NFL’s finance committee for nearly 11 months over concerns that he’s getting too much of a discount, as much as 70 percent.
And if Brady’s deal ever does get approved, it doesn’t seem likely that 24 owners will vote to allow him to play, since Brady’s role as a minority owner would make for an unprecedented and complicated salary cap situation. More likely, he would have to choose one or the other — ownership or quarterback.
O.J. Simpson and the Hall of Fame
The Pro Football Hall of Fame released a statement Thursday following the passing of O.J. Simpson, stating he “was the first player to reach a rushing mark many thought could not be attained in a 14-game season when he topped 2,000 yards. His on-field contributions will be preserved in the Hall’s archives in Canton.”
What the Hall is really saying is that the honor is about football only, and Simpson, a 1985 inductee, won’t be removed despite being found civilly liable for the stabbing death of two people.
“We had to abide by our bylaws, and our bylaws do not have any provision for removal,” former Hall of Fame executive director Joe Horrigan said in
2016. “That was probably the highestprofile case that caused us to have discussions on the incident. But ultimately our board voted that it had to be determined on how he played the game.”
The Heisman Trust, which forfeited Reggie Bush’s 2005 award because his family took some money, also still recognizes Simpson winning the 1968 trophy.
While the Hall won’t remove Simpson because it doesn’t consider his off-field life to be relevant, Hall of Fame voters haven’t considered the candidacy of Darren Sharper since he first appeared on the ballot in 2016. Sharper, a member of the 2000s All-Decade Team who is tied for eighth on the all-time list with 63 interceptions, is in federal prison until at least 2028 for pleading guilty to drugging and raping 16 women in four states.
Catching up with wide receivers
In 24 years under Belichick, the Patriots were known to have great tight ends and slot receivers, but weren’t too keen on investing in No. 1 receivers.
They got Randy Moss in 2007, but only because he was available for $3 million and a fourth-round pick. They got Chad Johnson and Reggie Wayne, but at the end of their careers. They didn’t use a first-round pick on a receiver until N’Keal Harry went 32nd in 2019. The only time they somewhat splurged was in 2019 when they signed Antonio Brown with a $9 million signing bonus as an olive branch to Tom Brady, who was not pleased with his other choices.
So, it’s hard not to notice that several Belichick disciples have sought an expensive, No. 1 receiver after they leave Foxborough. Texans general manager Nick Caserio last week traded for Stefon Diggs, and will pay him $22 million in 2024. One of Josh McDaniels’s first moves in Las Vegas was to trade firstand second-round picks for Davante Adams and give him $65 million guaranteed. And, of course, former Falcons GM Thomas Dimitroff drafted Julio Jones at No. 6 in 2011 even after Belichick advised him not to.
It’s fair to wonder if McDaniels and Caseriofelt hamstrung by the fact that Belichick wouldn’t invest in gamechanging, outside receivers.
Extra points
The Rams are finally throwing their first draft party since moving to Los Angeles in 2016, hosting the Rams Draft Experience at the Hermosa Beach Pier Plaza. The Rams, picking 19th, are likely to use their first-round pick for the first time since 2016, when they took
Jared Goff No. 1 overall. The Rams traded their 2017 pick for Goff, 2018 pick for Brandin Cooks, 2019 pick to Atlanta for more picks, their 2020 and 2021 picks for Jalen Ramsey, and their 2022 and 2023 picks for Matthew Stafford . . . NBC is taking ownership of the NFL’s opening weekend. The main network will televise the two big games in Week 1, the Thursday night Kickoff Game and the “Sunday Night Football” matchup. And the Packers-Eagles game in Sao Paolo, Brazil, on Friday of Week 1 will be exclusively on Peacock . . . That Week 1 game in Brazil will be the NFL’s second since 1970 to occur on a Friday night before Week 12. In 2005, the Chiefs and Dolphins had a Week 7 game moved to a Friday night because of Hurricane Wilma . . . Quarterbacks
Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, and
Drake Maye will be among the 13 prospects attending the draft in two weeks in Detroit. But Bo Nix and Michael Penix Jr. weren’t invited, and J.J. McCarthy never responded to his invite, per Pro Football Talk . . . Seven of the nine players given the franchise or transition tag have already signed long-term deals. The two who haven’t: Bengals receiver Tee Higgins and Buccaneers safety Antoine Winfield Jr. ... Lamar Jackson had input last year in the draft pick that resulted in receiver Zay Flowers, and it appears the Ravens will let Jackson have some say again. “He looks at guys on tape,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. “Lamar has never been shy about sharing his opinion about draft picks or free agents.” . . . Bless 11-year safety Tyrann Mathieu, who participated in the NFL’s media boot camp last week to prepare for a career after football. “One day into this media workshop & I have a new found respect for sports media,” Mathieu tweeted.