Bill Belichick's hypocrisy is on full display with his latest Patriots take

The Patriots in 2024 were not supposed to be a good team, and for good reason. A first-time head coach rarely leads his new team to much success in year one, especially when they get put into a situation like the one Jerod Mayo took over. On top of that, they have a rookie quarterback under the helm, further lowering their expectations.

Most fans agreed that their lackluster immediate future was fine for the time being, especially considering Drake Maye's impressive performance since he took over as the starting quarterback in Week 6. However, the questionable coaching has made it difficult for many to be optimistic about the future.

Heading into their bye, the Patriots sit with a 3-10 record after another disappointing showing against the Colts last Sunday. It's the same record they held after their game against the Steelers in Week 14, seemingly showing little improvement over the past year and furthering the concern about where the team is headed.

Given that he was fired for coaching the team to another underwhelming season last year, Bill Belichick spoke about his former team and his feelings about their latest loss. While his take wasn't completely far-fetched, it was a bit hypocritical and lacked severe context and accountability.

Bill Belichick's sympathy for the Patriots is understandable but lacks his contribution to the situation

While discussing Week 13 games on the Let's Go! Podcast earlier this week, Belichick expressed his sadness regarding the state of the Patriots team.

After criticizing the team for their recent performance and acknowledging the rough road they have to end the season, Belichick discussed the roster and those still on the team that he either signed or drafted and how tough it is to see them go through such a bad year.

"There are a lot of people there that (I'm) very close to. A lot of them that I brought there, especially defensively. Almost all those players are re-signed and most all the offensive skill players, too. So it's hard to see them going through that type of a season.

There's nothing I can do about it, I mean, just sit back and watch it. But, of course, yeah, I feel bad for a lot of those guys, especially the defensive players. I know those guys work hard. They're tough and they care and they put a lot into it."

He's far from wrong with his criticism, and his sympathy for his former team is certainly understandable. However, it lacks accountability.

The Patriots' biggest problem is Belichick's poorly structured roster and personnel decisions over the last few years. Although some of the players still on the team who played for him are good, the new regime was forced to keep others who might not have been on the team otherwise due to the lack of sufficient and talented depth.

The roster construction had been an issue with Belichick for quite some time, even before Tom Brady left the team in 2020. It's part of the reason the quarterback decided to sign with the Bucs, as the offense was one of the least improved over the years, and Brady was frustrated about it. That's part of the problem still in New England, and much of that is because of Belichick's bad decisions.

On top of it all, the Patriots were 3-10 at this point last year, so while Belichick's sympathy for the team going through a rough year is good to hear, it's the same situation they were in during the 2023 season; so what's the difference?

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