Bill Belichick is entering his 49th season in the NFL, but that doesn’t appear to mean the New England Patriots head coach is slowing down.
Though the Patriots coaching staff is being led by Troy Brown during East-West Shrine Bowl week, Belichick has been especially present in helping prepare the West team for Thursday’s all-star game. The Patriots have been given an opportunity to get an early look at some intriguing NFL draft prospects, and though Belichick’s is only an advisory role, he’s taken a hands-on approach at practices.
Some of the prospects with the most to prove are UCLA quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson and Florida edge defender Brenton Cox. Each of them spoke about how special Belichick’s presence has been for them.
“They’re super intense, but they’re super helpful,” Thompson-Robinson said, describing his coaching sessions from both Belichick and new Patriots offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien, per 98.5 The Sports Hub’s Alex Barth. “They’re just trying to get us the information we need on each play.”
“It felt good to be coached up by him,” Cox said after Sunday’s practice, per Tamara Brown of Patriots.com “He’s one of the greatest. Anything I can get from him out here at the Shrine Bowl practices is a perfect opportunity.”
Belichick reportedly has been just as involved with the offense as he has the defense through two practices. Naturally, he’s taken a close look at special teamers as well.
The Shrine Bowl will take place on Feb. 2, with kickoff from Allegiant Stadium scheduled for 8:30 p.m. ET.
