Throughout the season, it has seemed like the issues within the Patriots were fan and media driven based on the poor results of the new coaching staff. Players have spoken out about their support for Jerod Mayo and Co., with Drake Maye being one of the more recent voices of reason by stating the narrative surrounding the coaching staff was "BS."
With the offseason right around the corner and many decisions needed to be made by Robert Kraft, rumors have suggested he might be looking to replace his hand-picked successor, Bill Belichick. The final two games are the most relevant to that decision. Because Mayo has received continuous praise from the players, that implies the decision won't be as difficult for the team owner to make.
However, the latest comments from second-year defensive end Keion White throw a bit of a wrench into the story, as he seemingly implies that he might not want to be on the team anymore and practically begs for better coaching again.
“I’m going to try to get through these next two games, and then figure it out after that, and see where the cards may lie for my future."
That isn't exactly what you want to be hearing from your hopeful superstar pass rusher under the new regime.
Keion White's comments for the end of the season should make Robert Kraft's coaching decision much easier
While speaking to Karen Guregian of MassLive on Friday, White was asked about his season, which began with an impressive five sacks in three games and made the Patriots look like the biggest winners of the Matthew Judon trade.
After seeming to imply he wasn't thrilled with the team, Guregian asked for some clarity since he might have said he wasn't sure about continuing to play in New England. His follow-up doesn't bring much optimism about how he views his time with the team.
“Just in general. In terms of everything. I mean, anything is possible. It’s the NFL. Anything can happen year to year. It’s a production-based business. It is what it is. You just figure out where you go ... something’s gotta change. That’s the way I feel at this point.”
While that is valid and accurate for how business is done in professional sports, especially the NFL, it doesn't sound like White is enjoying how this year has gone for multiple reasons. It calls into question how the coaching staff has navigated their first year calling the shots, which has seen the Patriots' defense rapidly decline from where it was just one year ago.
White has been outspoken about appreciating the kind of coach Bill Belichick was, emphasizing his preference for a tough-love approach, even as recently as this past week. Perhaps his comments prove there is something off with how the new coaching staff approaches practices and coaching in general, which would explain how the defense have fallen from their pedestal this year.
In hopes of better understanding what exactly he was trying to say, Guregian asked if White felt he needed "more time to reflect on whatever the issues are, and adjust his mindset going forward," to which he declined that to be the issue.
“It’s the honest truth. I operate in black and white. So if it is, it is. If it ain’t, it ain’t. And I feel like I’m not playing good run defense. It’s a multitude of reasons why. It’s an internal thing we need to figure out.
I don’t think it’s just one thing. I think it’s a lot of things. First and foremost, it’s me. I need to improve me, and being on the same page with what the coaches want. But I think it’s a lot of other things as well. Without going too much into details, that’s how I feel.”
Clearly, something needs to change because this is not what you want to hear from a second-round player nearing the end of his second season. We've seen the drop-off in his production this year and he has been vocal about things that needed to change within the defense, as have a few of his teammates.
This is a sign that Robert Kraft should really take a look at defensive coordinator Demarcus Covington and the personnel around him, especially since White isn't the first to express his frustrations this year.