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Despite the win, it was a bad weekend for the Hoodie’s legacy.
Through his dominant NFL coaching career, which will land him in the NFL Hall of Fame, Bill Belichick didn’t care much about anything except his players and winning. And now that he’s 600 miles away from New England, his shadow remains long from there to here.
Belichick got his first college coaching win, but beyond the final score of 20-3 over an inferior mid-major the relationship with his old team is still making headlines. The Boston Globe covers him like he is stalking the Patriots sideline.
When news broke that anyone from his old team was being banned from Kenan Football Center, the Hoodie played the old game of tit for tat. “It’s clear I am not welcomed in their facility, so they aren’t welcomed in ours,” he said.
We’re not sure why he is a persona non grata in Foxboro, other than the Patriots are trying to move past his bad ending when they missed the playoffs three times and lost his last playoff game in a blowout at Buffalo.
And with another new coach, famous two-way player Mike Vrabel, they didn’t look much better in a 20-13 opening day loss to the Raiders and Las Vegas’ new coach Pete Carroll, who at 74 has replaced Belichick as the oldest in the NFL.
The boisterous Boston media was all over the team for a showing not much better than their 4-13 record of 2024, and former Carolina glamour guy Drake Maye hardly started like he finished his rookie season. Hopefully it is not a sign of a sophomore slump.
Maye looked good with an early touchdown pass that provided a 10-7 lead at halftime and he was 19 of 24 passing before being pressured into a critical interception that turned the game around. He finished 30 of 46 through the air and showed none of his running skills that marked his rookie campaign.
Yes, it was raining at Gillette Stadium, but on both teams including Raiders quarterback Geno Smith who clearly outplayed Maye as the Patriots managed only a field goal in the last minute of the game.
“I’ve just got to do better on my part,” Maye told the Globe afterward. “Just be quicker. Make more throws. We’ll bounce back and at the same time learn from it. It’s one game and a long season and do what I need to do to play better to help the guys around me.”
In the 13 games Maye has started in the NFL, he has thrown 16 touchdown passes and 11 interceptions, plus lost six fumbles.
While the tough New England media hasn’t turned on Maye, it certainly has made Belichick a punching bag. Blaming him for everything is easier than stomaching another losing season.
They know Maye has potential but are implying the older coach they love to hate is over the hill in Chapel Hill.
Featured image via Associated Press/Chris Seward
Art Chansky is a veteran journalist who has written ten books, including best-sellers “Game Changers,” “Blue Bloods,” and “The Dean’s List.” He has contributed to WCHL for decades, having made his first appearance as a student in 1971. His “Sports Notebook” commentary airs daily on the 97.9 The Hill WCHL and his “Art’s Angle” opinion column runs weekly on Chapelboro.Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees, and you can directly support our efforts in local journalism here. Want more of what you see on Chapelboro? Let us bring free local news and community information to you by signing up for our newsletter.
