One of the biggest questions pertaining to the New England Patriots is coming back to the forefront with the team just one week from training camp: Who’s going to call offensive plays?
Patriots head coach Bill Belichick was mum on the topic when asked about it earlier this spring, as the departure of longtime offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels could present a major void.
“I’ve called them and I haven’t called them,” Belichick said in May. “And other people have called them and they haven’t called them. So, we’ll see.”
The Patriots will have veteran assistants like Joe Judge and Matt Patricia now working with the offense, along with tight ends coach Nick Caley, but it’s not crazy to think the responsibility could fall at the feet of Belichick. After all, no coach on staff has called offensive plays or coached QBs at the NFL level. Belichick, known for his defensive mind, is arguably the greatest head coach of all time, but there continues to be some who question how he would be in the role.
ESPN NFL analyst Ryan Clark is among them.
“I think (Mike) Tanenbaum just educated me, right? When you see something work before, like Bill Belichick got to see with the Bill Parcells calling plays, you think to yourself, ‘I’m as smart as this guy. I learned under this guy. This is something that I can do,'” Clark said Wednesday morning on ESPN’s “Get Up.”
“But sometimes ego can be what causes you to fail and pride comes before the fall. This is very unconventional,” Clark continued. “This is almost saying we spit in the face of what we’ve always known coaching staffs to be. I think that Bill Belichick understands football enough to be able to coordinate, strategize and scheme offenses. But calling plays is not only a science, but it’s an art. It’s something you have to feel it’s something you have to vibe with, and doing it defensively and offensively is different. You have to be in tune with your quarterback, your players and understand what the situation needs at that time offensively.”
Clark went on to wonder how effective Belichick could be if he was to headline the responsibility.
“We’ve never seen Bill Belichick do that, be in charge of that,” Clark said. “And so I’m looking forward to see can he do it, but I’m doubting that he’s great at it. And that they have good enough players to make him, or to help him get there.”
Belichick certainly will be presented with the question again when the Patriots kick off training camp July 27. But given the way things tend to play out in the confines of Gillette Stadium, that doesn’t mean we’ll know any time soon.
