Members Of Patriots Rip Bill Belichick After Dysfunctional Season

New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick previously said that, should the experiment of offensive coordinator Matt Patricia and quarterbacks coach Joe Judge go up in flames, the greatest coach of all-time was to blame.

Those inside the Patriots organization heard his message loud and clear. And it prompted many to speak out against the Belichick-organized staff given that said assistants played a crucial role in New England missing the playoffs for the second time in three seasons and second-year quarterback Mac Jones taking a noticeable step back.

In an extensive feature story published Thursday by the Boston Herald’s Andrew Callahan and Karen Guregian, members of the Patriots spoke on the condition of anonymity about the dysfunction that riddled the 2022-23 team.

“I love coach (Belichick), but he f—ed us,” one source told the Herald.

The Herald acknowledged that parties quoted in the story believed players and coaches “collaborated in good faith,” but a variety of issues — perhaps most notably being Mac Jones not liking an overstepping Judge — led to the offense’s demise.

“It’s always been about winning and doing what’s best for the team. I really believe (Belichick) when he says that,” one source told the Herald. “I just think he really didn’t understand how hard it was going to be.”

The Patriots on Thursday officially announced the hiring of offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien, who will take over as the play-caller after a lost year under Patricia and Judge. It’s likely that will help put some players at ease as they seek a fresh start in the upcoming season.