Get up to date on the latest New England Patriots news at they prepare to travel to Denver to take on the Broncos in Week 16.
Bill Belichick still wants to be the Patriots head coach next season
Within the constant debate about whether the Patriots should fire or retain Bill Belichick comes the idea of the longtime head coach making the decision himself. Some say that based on his back-to-back failed seasons and his general demeanor, it looks like he doesn't even want to be in New England anymore.
It's an assumption that lines up with the several rumors that have flooded out this past year alleging the relationship between Belichick and Robert Kraft has deteriorated to the point of the team's owner becoming "increasingly annoyed" with him this season.
On the other hand, Belichick's overall attitude hasn't altered compared to his behavior throughout his 20+ years as the Patriots' head coach. So, in most ways, it seems those seeing anything different are grasping at straws.
And now that assumption is coming into question even more, as the Boston Globe's Ben Volin reports Belichick is still all-in with the team and doesn't want to leave if given the choice. The problem is, it may not be up to him whether he stays or goes.
"I’m told Belichick doesn’t want to leave New England. But he doesn’t control his fate. Kraft does."
This obviously won't settle this constant debate, especially for those who have already decided they want to see Belichick on a different team next year or just retire. But it may provide some context about why the players continue publicly showing their support for the coach and maybe even some of the more questionable game-time decisions he's made throughout the season.
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Tom Brady shares who he believes is the MVP of the 2023 season
A lot has been said this year regarding the current state of the National Football League. From deeming the game mediocre to labeling quarterbacks as game changers or game managers, a lot of opinions have been shared, none of which are too favorable for the league.
Within the criticism of how the game has changed has been the debate of who the frontrunning MVP is in 2023. Most have concluded it's likely not a quarterback, with others suggesting it is clearly Tyreek Hill, as he is on path to breaking all sorts of records with his performance this season.
But that's not the road Tom Brady is going down with who he believes deserves the honor this year. He revealed who he would pick as the MVP this year on the latest episode of his "Let's Go!" podcast earlier this week, where he made a strong case for 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey.
"I remember the first time I actually got a glimpse of Christian was in the Rose Bowl,” Brady said. “He caught an angle pass against Iowa and ran for about a 75-yard touchdown. I was like, ‘Well, they’re not gonna catch him.’ He was a dynamic player then. He is a dynamic player now, and I think all of what he’s done this year is a lot of what he’s done in the past. It’s a different team with some different opportunities and they’ve been really dynamic on offense.
So he is definitely in my mind the MVP favorite and according to his quarterback too, Brock Purdy, who says some amazing things about him... And I know you’ll say, because you’re a great team player, the Super Bowl is the only thing that really matters. With the offseason that the running backs have, do you kind of feel like an award like that would be pretty nice?”
He makes an excellent point that if McCaffrey were to win the MVP, it could be a sign of the tide turning regarding the coaches' and general managers' view of the importance of running backs in today's game.
With all the top RB talent heading to free agency, it could be a significant momentum shift in the market, especially those who are at the top of the league in the position.
Coaches wanted to give Malik Cunningham a shot to be the Patriots QB before Mac Jones benching
When news dropped that Malik Cunningham was signing with the Ravens last week, there was a lot of disappointment and confusion from Patriots fans and players, as they were all hoping to see what the dual-threat player would bring to the field when given a chance during a regular season game.
However, it was a bittersweet moment since Baltimore was probably a better place for him to be since they have honed Lamar Jackson's talent since drafting him in 2018. So it seemed like a team that would give Cunningham a proper opportunity, which certainly wasn't the case with Bill Belichick and Co. in New England.
But before he moved on to his new team, it looked like the rookie was going to take the field after Mac Jones was benched for the season, even more so as Bailey Zappe hadn't looked any better when replacing him. That never happened, though, and it remains a question that will probably never be answered.
It's clear he made an impact during his time in Foxboro, though, as countless teammates posted farewells to Cunningham when the announcement of his departure was made. And apparently, the players aren't the only ones who wanted to give him a shot on the field.
NESN's Patriots reporter Phil Perry revealed this week that coaches and teammates were impressed with how Cunningham looked in the preseason, especially against the Texans, and wanted to make him the quarterback in Week 6 after the team's second blowout loss in a row to the Saints.
"I will tell you this: I heard from coaches after the Saints game. So, two blowouts in a row, bad quarterback play. And I had coaches say to me, ‘We might as well try Malik at this point. What do we have to lose?’ And so, that may have been reflective of a greater portion of the locker room than maybe I was willing to give credit to at the time."
If this is really the case, why didn't it happen? Why was Cunningham signed to the game day roster but never took the field?
Why was he left on the practice squad to sign elsewhere?
Was this a decision made by Belichick to keep him sidelined? Unfortunately, these questions will never be answered, and we will forever wonder what went wrong and who is responsible for the absolute botching of a potentially exciting quarterback in New England.
Josh Uche "isn't enamored" with staying in New England
At the end of the 2023 season, the Patriots have a long list of pending free agents, with some considered the most desirable at their position. One of those players is Josh Uche, who will enter free agency for the first time in his career in March.
How the coaching staff views him has been confusing this season in particular, as reports indicated the linebacker was almost traded before the deadline, but the Patriots were not willing to lower their asking price to make a deal happen. If that's an accurate report, it seems like Belichick won't be too interested in re-signing him.
But that feeling may be mutual, at least according to Boston Sports Journal's Mike Giardi, who suggested Uche isn't exactly happy with his current role in the Patriots' defense, a feeling that grew since Matthew Judon's season ended due to injury.
Because Uche's role hasn't increased in his absence, Giardi says he may be looking elsewhere to be given more opportunities.
"I don’t get the sense that Uche is enamored with the idea of staying in this system (as currently constituted). His role has diminished despite Matthew Judon’s injury, which caught NFL folks’ attention outside New England. That said, despite Uche’s sack totals being down, his pass rush metrics are still impressive, which leads me to believe he will be in high demand."
Regardless of how well he's performed statistically in metrics outside of sack totals, an unhappy player in his current system doesn't bode well for Belichick if he intended on re-signing Uche to a long-term deal.