Belichick calls tech foul on tab
Patriots coach says he’s done with Surface after reliability issues
Bill Belichick is sticking to his old- fashioned ways on one technological front.
After the image of the New England Patriots coach slamming a Microsoft Surface tablet on the sidelines in a Week 4 game against the Buffalo Bills went viral, Belichick explained Tuesday why he is fed up with the product.
“As you probably noticed, I’m done with the tablets,” Belichick said. “They’re just too undependable for me. I’m going to stick with pictures, which several of our other coaches do, as well, because there just isn’t enough consistency in the performance of the tablets. I just can’t take it anymore.”
The normally reserved Belichick, who previously has expressed his frustration with tablets, explained his stance for more than five minutes, harping on the unreliable nature of technology.
Belichick admitted that some of those problems were unavoidable, but they’re not ones he’s willing to put up with.
“I’ll use the paper pictures from here on because I have given it my best shot,” Belichick said at the end of his answer. “I’ve tried to work through the process. But it doesn’t work for me, and that’s because there’s no consistency to it.”
Microsoft issued a statement later Tuesday in response to Belichick’s comments.
“We respect coach Belichick’s decision but stand behind the reliability of Surface,” the statement read. “We continue to receive positive feedback on having Surface devices on the sidelines from coaches, players and team personnel across the league. In the instances where sideline issues are reported in NFL games, we work closely with the NFL to quickly address and resolve.”
The NFL also expressed its support for Microsoft in a statement.
“Since Microsoft has been a partner of the NFL and implemented their technology on our sidelines, the efficiency and speed of communication between coaches has greatly increased,” the league’s statement read.
“As with any technology, there are multiple factors that can cause issues within our sideline communications system either related to or outside of Microsoft’s technology. We continue to work with all of our partners to ensure the best systems are in place to give our clubs the greatest chance for success on a weekly basis.”