Three-time Super Bowl winner goes off at Bill Belichick over team's success

Former New England Patriots linebacker Tedy Bruschi has gone in on head coach Bill Belichick over his recent comments regarding optimism heading into the new season.

Since Tom Brady left, the Patriots haven't been the same (we knew they wouldn't be) with Mac Jones under center. There has been heavy criticism coming New England's way after underperforming last year.

Bill Belichick was asked why Patriots fans can be optimistic about the team's chances in 2023, to which he replied, "The last 25 years" and that got Bruschi offside. He spoke on ESPN's GetUp and went to task on his former coach.

Bruschi said via the New York Post Sports:

“That’s my guy who had a little bit of a slip right there, because 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, if we win Super Bowls the year before, it doesn’t matter, Pro Bowls don’t matter, All-Pros don’t matter, everything you’ve ever done doesn’t matter, It’s about who we are going forward.”

“This is what the good teams do, players hold coaches accountable also when they get off message and right now coach Belichick is off message."

Bruschi continued:

"That is something that his players shouldn’t hear, that he is basing some optimism to fans for what I’ve done in the past, the past 25 years. It’s not something that I have heard Bill say, I don’t think if I’ve ever heard Bill mention something like that in terms of his whole body of work in how I’ll do going forward. It was surprising to me because that is not the Bill Belichick I know.”

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What can we expect from Bill Belichick's Patriots in 2023?

Cincinnati Bengals v New England Patriots

In an ideal world, it would be a return to the postseason and a better record than 8-9. Mac Jones is expected to improve again, but there are serious doubts over his ability to lead the offense where it needs to go. Part of that, for some, is the offensive scheme and play calling.

The AFC East is a tough division. Josh Allen and the Bills aren't going anywhere, the Miami Dolphins with Tua Tagovailoa should be better next year, and should the New York Jets sign Aaron Rodgers, there is a real thought that the Patriots could be the worst team in the division.

Patriots fans need optimism, with Bill Belichick saying what he's done in the past clearly doesn't sit well. In a division that is stacked against them, New England could find the going rather tough in 2023.