For those worried that Bill Belichick has lost his love for coaching the New England Patriots, you probably can breathe easy.
The Pats head coach was in rare form Sunday, speaking candidly on a number of topics before the NFL Annual Meeting in Orlando, Fla. One of the most revealing moments during Belichick’s session with the media, however, came when he addressed how much fun he’s having during the offseason.
“We’re working through the process and that’s always an enjoyable thing for me,” Belichick said, via ESPN’s Mike Reiss, “especially going out and getting on the road and come to the colleges, see the players, work them out. We’ll bring them in (with the NFL maximum 30 in-house visits) in a couple weeks and go through that process. It’s the same thing every year, really. Starting all over again. We’ve won the last game. We’ve lost it. That is what it is. Last year is last year.
“It’s an exciting time of year on the team-building. There are a lot of things we still have to do, so right now it’s about acquiring a lot of information, putting things in place, and figuring out what the steps are in the appropriate time to address them.”
If you’ve been keeping tabs on Belichick’s activity at college pro days, these comments shouldn’t come as a surprise. Furthermore, his presence at those workouts should’ve squashed any remaining — and silly — fears that he won’t coach the Patriots next season.
But if you still have concerns over The Hoodie’s future in New England, these remarks should alleviate your angst:
“Looking forward to getting the team back in a couple weeks (for the offseason program),” Belichick said. “I’ve spoken to quite a few players and I think there’s a good energy level. We have quite a few guys who are pretty regularly at the facility. Obviously it’s informal — they’re there on their own — but definitely seen some traffic coming in.
“And certainly have some guys rehabbing from last year who finished the year on injured reserve, or some version of reserve. So those guys are obviously working hard to get back and be ready to go.”
So, there you have it. Belichick almost certainly will be roaming the sidelines at Gillette Stadium next season. And, judging by his attitude, he can’t wait.
