Former Patriots player calls for Bill Belichick’s players to call out 6x Super Bowl winning head coach

The New England Patriots and head coach Bill Belichick finished in third place in the AFC East last season with a 8-9 record. This was the second time in the past three seasons that they have failed to reach the playoffs.

When Tom Brady first departed the team during the 2020 season, the Patriots finished 7-9, missing the playoffs after placing third in the division.

In 2021, during quarterback Mac Jones' rookie season, he led them to a 10-7 record, which was good enough for second place in the division to make the playoffs as a wild card team.

Coach Belichick was asked by the media what he would say to fans to be optimistic about their future.

Belichick responded:

"The last 25 years."

Former New England Patriots linebacker Tedy Bruschi, appeared on ESPN's "Get Up" and blasted Belichick for referring to the past as his answer.

Bruschi said:

"Right now, Coach Belichick is off message. That is something that his players shouldn't hear that he is, you know, basing some optimism to fans on what I've done in the past for the past 25 years.

"It's really not something that I've heard Bill say in I don't know if I've ever heard Bill mentioned something like that in terms of his whole body of work and how that will do going forward. It was surprising to me. Okay. I mean, and that's what I don't know."

Bruschi then said how called out Belichick to be accountable during his playing days and asked the current players to do the same:

"I mean, I don't know what's going on in that locker room now, but players can hold coaches accountable. I've done it with Bill before when we, and when he said things post post-games or during the week that I did not like.

"And we had discussions in captains meetings or after games or whatever. But I don't want that in that locker room anymore. I'm hearing it and now I'm just surprised because that is not the Bill Belichick that I know."

Is Mac Jones the long-term answer at quarterback for the New England Patriots?

Mac Jones during Miami Dolphins vs New England Patriots

After Tom Brady departed the New England Patriots, the team signed Cam Newton and played him during the 2020 season.

The team then drafted Mac Jones as their first-round pick in the 2021 NFL draft. He had success as he led them to a 10-7 record and as a wild card team in the playoffs.

This past season, he struggled as he went 6-8 as a starter. He threw for 14 touchdowns and 11 interceptions and had a lower passer rating than his rookie season as it went down from 92.5 to 84.8.

Some are questioning whether Jones can be a franchise quarterback as he had a sophomore slump last year.

Do you think Jones will bounce back this season and lead the Patriots to the playoffs again?

If you use any of the above quotes, please credit Get Up, Bill Belichick, Tedy Bruschi, and H/T Sportskeeda.