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Earlier this week, longtime New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick decided to break from his usual pattern of giving reporters short and vague responses.
When asked about the current state of the franchise, Belichick said "the last 25 years" should leave Patriots fans feeling hopeful about the future.
The remark drew criticism from legendary linebacker Tedy Bruschi, a key contributor to three Patriots Super Bowl victories.
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Head coach Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots before a game against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium Dec. 12, 2022, in Glendale, Ariz. (Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
Bruschi, who works as an NFL analyst, detailed why he disagreed with his former coach's statement during a recent edition of ESPN's "Get Up!" morning program.
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Bruschi's said Belichick's comments came off as hypocritical.
"I don’t know how many times I’ve been in meetings with Coach Belichick, and the very first meeting is, ‘I don’t care about anything in the past. We win Super Bowls. Last year doesn’t matter. Pro Bowls don’t matter, All-Pros don’t matter. Everything you’ve done last year doesn’t matter, fellas. It’s about who we are going forward,'" Bruschi said, via NESN’s Adam London.
Former NFL linebacker and University of Arizona alum Tedy Bruschi stands with players before taking the field as a coach in the Arizona spring game at Arizona Stadium April 24, 2021, in Tucson, Ariz. (Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
Bruschi added that the 70-year-old coach's response sent the wrong message.
"This is what the good teams do. Players hold coaches accountable also when they get off-message. Right now, Coach Belichick is off-message.
"That is something that his players shouldn’t hear — that he is basing some optimism to fans on ‘what I’ve done the last 25 years.’ I don’t know if I’ve ever heard Bill mention something like that in terms of his whole body of work. It was surprising to me."
Head coach Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots reacts after a game against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium Oct. 30, 2022, in East Rutherford, N.J. (Elsa/Getty Images)
Belichick does usually focus solely on the future. After a game ends, he routinely ignores any question about what transpired and will only address questions pertaining to an upcoming opponent.
The Patriots have not experienced the success many had become accustomed to during the Tom Brady era. In the three seasons without Brady, New England has failed to win a playoff game.
In Brady's first season with the Buccaneers, he won his seventh Super Bowl.
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The Patriots are coming off a turbulent 8-9 season in which 2021 first-round draft pick Mac Jones regressed in his second season. Jones was replaced by Bailey Zappe, a 2022 fourth-round draft pick out of Western Kentucky, for four games after Jones suffered an ankle injury.
Belichick was asked earlier this week about the quarterback situation heading into next season, but he refused to publicly commit to Jones as the team's starter for 2023.