If coach Bill Belichick is going to favor one of the New England Patriots’ units — whether in practice or film sessions — he’s usually overseeing the defense. He has worked on offense, special teams and defense throughout the years but he is, of course, famous for being a defensive guru.
That’s why it’s interesting that Belichick spent most of Monday’s practice session, the team’s first period of organized team activities, hovering around offensive players and instructing them alongside his offensive coaching assistants, which includes Joe Judge (quarterbacks), Matt Patricia (offensive line), Troy Brown (receivers) and Vinnie Sunseri (running backs), among others.
Receiver Kendrick Bourne is loving it.
“He’s been more present helping us out. It’s new, so he just wants it to go a certain way. It’s just dope having his presence. It’s like: ‘Oh he’s watching so we gotta be perfect,'” Bourne told reporters Monday after practice. “But that’s just how he is: the discipline and who he is as a coach. It’s special because you don’t get that all the time. He’s a defensive guy. For as someone to just embrace it and taking the advantage of the time we’re going to get from him because it’s new but I enjoy it. I love the challenge and I love being challenged.”
Belichick is likely to help guide the offense amid turnover at the coaching spots, with Josh McDaniels leaving his post as offensive coordinator to coach the Las Vegas Raiders. He brought along three other offensive assistant coaches. So the offensive staff is adjusting in the wake of those departures. Apparently, that includes Belichick turning the defense over to Steve Belichick and Jerod Mayo so that the head coach can spend more time with the offense, including with second-year quarterback Mac Jones.
“Obviously (Belichick) is a great defensive mind, but he also has great offensive knowledge, they’re all helping out and making things really easy for us and just teaching us what they know,” Jones said Monday. “It’s been really good just to be able to stand up in the meetings and talk through things with everybody, and everyone’s on the same page, regardless of who’s talking or who’s saying what.”
