Many have suggested the New England Patriots turn their focus to the future given their ongoing struggles this season.
Matt Light seems to believe Bill Belichick is way ahead of those folks.
During an appearance Tuesday on WEEI’s “The Greg Hill Show,” Light labeled the current campaign “a joke,” given its unconventional nature due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The former Patriots offensive lineman thinks Belichick might be on the same page and is prioritizing upcoming seasons when, theoretically, the league could be operating more traditionally.
“Five years from now, when we look back on this season, are we going to be talking about it?,” Light said, as transcribed by WEEI. “Are we going to be comparing it? We win a Super Bowl back in the day and they compare it to a previous Super Bowl we won. ‘Oh, this one was so much bigger.’ And, ‘Remember that year?’ No one is going to look back on the 2020 season and compare it to anything other than, it was a joke. It was ridiculous.
“I mean, Bill Belichick’s the greatest there is, man. Do you want to compete? Do you want to go after it at the highest level? Or do you want to do what they’re doing right now with all the uncertainty? This is not the game of football we all know. It’s something other than that. Bill recognized it early on. I firmly believe that. And I think he’s building for the time that we can play for a real championship, with real players getting after it, fully prepared, getting ready to go.”
We’ll likely never know how Belichick truly feels about this season, but he seemingly has accepted the Patriots’ mediocre roster, which was decimated due to free agency and player opt-outs. New England has remained fairly competitive, though, as three of its five losses to date were by six points or less.
The Patriots have a great opportunity to snap their four-game losing streak Monday night when they visit the New York Jets.
