Vince Wilfork is the latest Patriots Hall of Famer to point out what he perceives as a growing sense of entitlement among players in New England.
Patriots legend Ty Law on Monday made headlines when he suggested Patriots coaches, including Bill Belichick, might not command as much respect as they once did due to players making more money than ever before. Law was reacting to a report about Jack Jones talking back to Belichick over an injury rehab dispute that ultimately led to the rookie cornerback’s suspension.
Wilfork echoed those sentiments Wednesday night during an appearance on NBC Sports Boston’s “Early Edition” show.
“These guys don’t respect the game and don’t respect coaches the way we used to,” Wilfork said. “I’ve never seen anybody talk back to Bill. As a leader and as a captain, of course we’ll have conversations on things that we might not like, but that’s behind closed doors, and it’s not us challenging Bill. It’s trying to get a better understanding of what’s going on. But as far as talking back to a coach — no, you don’t do that.
“But this new era of football, these kids feel entitled. It started in college. You’ve got all this mess going on in college — you’re taken care of as a college player, and then you get to the league, and now all of a sudden you want the same treatment. But you have to realize, the (NFL), it ain’t college. You have to prove yourself at this level.”
Wilfork was vocal about his displeasure with some Patriots players throughout what was a trying season in New England.
In December, Wilfork harshly criticized sophomore quarterback Mac Jones for his on-field outbursts. He walked back those criticisms this week but held firm on his overall point.
And, given a recent report about Jones ticking off Belichick during the season, it probably is fair to assume the Patriots head coach agrees with much of what Wilfork and Law have been saying.
