Former New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick appeared on “The Pat McAfee Show,” and former NFL returner Adam “Pacman” Jones asked him about the new special teams rules.
To set the scene, the Patriots played the Tennessee Titans in Week 17 in 2006, and during that game, Jones returned a punt 85 yards for a touchdown. New England got the last laugh in the game however, as they defeated Tennessee by a 40-23 margin.
However, Belichick, who is known for his strong recollection of NFL history, was able to recall the play specifically.
“First of all, Pacman, I want to tell you, that the punt you returned against us with the Titans was total BS,” said Belichick. “It was third down, and I was standing there on the sideline and I said, ‘Look, these guys can’t move the ball. The only way they can score is if we punt it to Pacman and he returns it. So we are going out of bounds with the ball right before the half.’
“There’s a minute to go in the half, and I said, ‘We are going out of bounds with this ball, and we’re going to make them drive it because they can’t score on our defense.’ And we punt it right down the middle, and you go 85 yards and I tell you, I can’t remember a situation I have been more upset about. …And you killed us on that just like I knew you were going to do.”
"That punt you returned against us with the Titans was TOTAL BS @REALPACMAN24..
I can't remember a situation that I've been more pissed about" 😂😂 ~ Bill Belichick #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/OeUJkq1Ymp
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) April 17, 2024
If anything, Belichick’s in-game preparation was spot-on in this instant, but the execution was lacking, to say the least.
There are some returners you just don’t kick the football to on the field, and Jones was obviously one of them.
