Patriots News: Bill Burr, Mac Jones, Jonathan Kraft, and Mike Vrabel

Catch up with all the latest news regarding the New England Patriots as we enter the final day of Week 11 games this evening.

Comedian Bill Burr calls out "spoiled brat" Patriots fans

Several celebrities have revealed themselves as Patriots fans over the years, especially during the Tom Brady era because they kept winning. Since the legendary quarterback left Foxboro three years ago, however, not many well-known people have shared their thoughts on how the team has looked as of late.

That has changed a bit recently due to the uptick of criticism surrounding Bill Belichick, who many have either deemed untouchable or needing to be fired, with not much in between.

Because of that, comedian product of Boston, Bill Burr, shared his take during an appearance on "The Rich Eisen Show" last week, discussing what's been said of Belichick throughout the 2023 season. He pointed out how it feels like the conversation began with the known negative local radio.

"That whole conversation about him, that they’re going to fire him, is just scuttlebutt invented by the local radio, where they were just like, ‘It’s just the time.' In other words, the phone lines aren’t lit up and it just catches fire and everybody’s talking about this.

You know what nobody is talking about? Who you’re going to replace him with. The guy just coached a team for over 20 years and they were the team of the decade two decades in a row. Nobody has ever done that. The second that there’s a little rough water for two seasons it’s like, ‘He has to go.’ He has to go? The whole league ripped off what he did. The whole league has studied him."

No matter what your opinion is on the matter, Burr makes a good point about a replacement for Belichick seemingly being left out of the conversation. Although some names have been floated to take over in his place, there doesn't appear to be a frontrunner who would ensure a much better result for the 2024 season.

Burr took his take even further when Eisen mentioned the complaints he heard from Patriots fans while calling their game in Germany against the Colts. The comedian slammed those kinds of fans, calling them "spoiled brats" and stating they should be thankful for all the good years the team had prior to their current state.

"It’s spoiled brats. They came of age when we were just going to go to the AFC Championship Game every other year. We were going to go to nine Super Bowls and win six — like, nobody’s done that, especially in the modern era with 32 teams."

Although his comments may not be received well, it's not outlandish to state that some fans cannot deal with not winning. The Patriots dominated the NFL for 20 years, and in that time they were almost always guaranteed to win no matter what.

Now that that's not the case anymore, some fans have difficulty dealing with it. It's understandable, of course, but hopefully, they'll get back on track next year so we can all say goodbye to this rough patch for good.

Albert Breer suggests the Patriots were sold damaged goods when drafting Mac Jones

Unfortunately for Mac Jones, the unflattering gossip and reports keep coming, and they worsen with each passing day. The latest speculation comes from Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer, who spoke about the Patriots failing 2023 season and what the organization allegedly feels about their quarterback behind closed doors.

Breer continues to be the leading reporter to put out negative spins on what is going on in Foxboro, especially regarding Jones, and his latest takes discussed on FS1's "The Herd" last week are on par with his reports as of late.

He first shared that he is hearing the coaching staff fears Jones has developed "the yips," which is football talk for a lack of confidence, a hesitancy in decision-making and follow through, etc. It's clear as day to anyone who has watched the Patriots this year that Jones' production has taken a nosedive, and his swagger and natural confidence as a rookie is long gone.

It's likely what has led to a lot of the disastrous moments this season, as it would for any quarterback in the league. But Breer took it all a step further with his comments, alleging people inside the organization believe they were sold a player they haven't seen, claiming they were somehow tricked into drafting Jones in 2021.

"They were sold a smart, efficient, game-managing quarterback and they're getting a guy that makes a lot mistakes out there that doesn't do the smart thing that often."

To suggest that Bill Belichick and his scouting team were manipulated into selecting a quarterback who just took his team to an undefeated season, won the National Championship at Alabama with a stacked offense, and is the only quarterback of all Power Conference QBs ever to record 4,500 yards, 40 touchdowns, and less than five interceptions is absurd.

It would be fair to say that New England isn't thrilled with how the quarterback's career has transpired thus far, even though much of his regression is the result of poor roster building and lousy coaching. But to allude this was the type of player Jones always was, and the Patriots were somehow tricked into drafting him, is an unforgivable assertion to make.

There's a reason for scout teams, prospect research, and meetings with players. It is the reason they chose Jones to begin with. The coaches and staff have responsibility for how and why he has regressed, so putting all the blame on the quarterback's shoulders is disingenuous.

Rob Ninkovich says Jonathan Kraft was "pissed" during Patriots vs Colts game

A lot can be said about how the Patriots' 2023 season has transpired, and most of it would be warranted. But it all seems much worse when the owner and the team's president seem to share the same feeling about the team's outlook as the fans, which is apparently where the Krafts are now.

We heard Robert Kraft share his unhappiness about the team holding a losing record, the worst one through 11 weeks since he bought the team in the mid-90s. And we saw that now infamous video of his son Jonathan appearing to express his displeasure with the team, where he seems to say, "We're not good enough."

But apparently, that's not the tip of the iceberg regarding Jonathan's frustrations.

The moment in the viral video occurred during the Patriots matchup with the Commanders, a game they should have and could have easily won. The latest report discussing Kraft's latest instance of irritation came after their latest loss to the Colts in embarrassing fashion, which Rob Ninkovich detailed on "The Dan and Ninko Show" podcast last week.

The former Patriot was in Germany for the game and recalled what he saw and heard from Kraft after the game.

"Jonathan gets very vocal, very vocal. He was just not happy. So, he was very mad two times. He was very mad. They didn’t have a returner on one of the punt rushes. They were trying to block the punt. So, he was pissed.

He was like, ‘Why the (expletive) don’t we have a returner back there? This is stupid. The ball’s going to get pinned down there and we’re going to be on the 1-yard line.’ He was so pissed. He was so pissed. Mr. (Robert) Kraft is pretty even-keeled, though."

That was a reaction most watching the game certainly shared with Kraft, as it remains a questionable moment even a week later.

It also makes things more interesting when considering what his comments could mean for Bill Belichick, as he would've been partly responsible for the failed play. Perhaps the Krafts are also tired of the head coach, as this mistake goes beyond just the roster.

Ninkovich also shared that Jonathan wasn't pleased about Mac Jones' essentially game-sealing interception, saying he reiterated how bad the Patriots team currently is.

"He was pissed at the interception. He was like, ‘We’re bad.’"

How will this impact what the organization will do come the offseason?

If the Krafts have this feeling about the Patriots 10 weeks into an 18-week season, surely significant changes will be made, right?

It's just the latest update that will make fans intently pay attention to every tiny move the team makes as soon as the season ends.

Pressure is mounting for Robert Kraft to replace Bill Belichick with Mike Vrabel

Because calls for Bill Belichick to be replaced at the end of the current season continue to get louder as the weeks pass, more names continue to be discussed as favorites to step into the legendary head coach's abandoned shoes.

Just one year ago, many expressed their desire to see Jerod Mayo be the one to take the reigns. It seemed like the most likely scenario after he was given a new contract and declined to interview for a vacant head coaching position in Carolina.

But now that plan doesn't appear as a sure thing anymore, as current Titans head coach and former longtime Patriot Mike Vrabel has become the popular frontrunner to take over for Belichick as soon as possible.

Initially, it was just a fantasy brought on by Patriots fans, likely stemming from his recent team Hall of Fame induction earlier this season. But since then, the idea of a Patriots and Titans coaching trade has caught on like wildfire, with many reporters discussing the possibilities of it actually happening.

The latest published piece comes from The Athletic's Randy Mueller, who wrote about why it's a move the Patriots need to make this offseason. In his article, he discussed how it could all come about, detailing the way Kraft should approach it and what he should offer in return.

"If the Patriots, who have the AFC’s worst record, continue on this course and earn a top-five pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, giving that up would be a little steep for my taste, but the challenge of sorting out a fair value could be worked out, and if Vrabel really wanted out, the Titans and Patriots could find common ground fairly easily.

If I were Kraft, I’d reach out owner to owner and offer a 2024 second-round pick, as it will be a high one. I would not touch a pick in the top 10 because I’m not willing to give up the farm, and if I were the Titans I might counter to acquire an additional pick in a subsequent year.

This can only happen if Vrabel is serious about moving on as well. And there might be another team that would offer more for a coach of Vrabel’s status, though the league might fight the idea of a draft pick bidding war for a coach."

Giving up a second-rounder seems like the most ideal scenario since it is projected to be pick 35 right now, but mainly because the Patriots will surely need a first-round pick if they intend to select a top-name quarterback in place of Mac Jones. But as Mueller said, it all depends on what Vrabel wants to do.

There hasn't been any indication that he wants out of Tennessee. He's been successful there, and it doesn't appear the organization wants to move on from him, either. It is an intriguing hypothetical scenario to ponder, as Kraft is not against making trades like this for a coach, as he did for Belichick over twenty years ago.

So, it will undoubtedly be a rumor to follow the rest of the season and into the offseason.