The 2020 NFL season obviously didn’t go the way that Bill Belichick had hoped it would.
His New England Patriots labored to a 7-9 record, and lost multiple games they typically find ways to pull out. The product on the field simply wasn’t what he nor Patriots fans are used to seeing.
According to ESPN NFL analyst Louis Riddick, New England’s struggles affected Belichick’s emotions on a daily basis.
“If you talked to him last year, he was miserable,” Riddick told The Boston Globe’s Ben Volin. “He was grumpy about what was going on with his football team and how he could not get it to play the way he’s accustomed to. And you knew it was not going to sit well with him.”
This season figures to go far better for the Patriots, though much of the optimism hinges on the right arm of rookie quarterback Mac Jones. If Jones plays well, New England is talented enough on both sides of the ball to at least earn a winning record.
The Patriots will open their season Sunday afternoon against the Miami Dolphins.
