Why Patriots Players Were ‘Laughing’ About Bill Belichick Before Week 1

Bill Belichick no longer works in New England, but Patriots players now have a new way to stay connected to their former head coach if they feel so inclined.

Belichick took the football world by storm last week when he joined Instagram. It was a practical move given the future Hall of Famer's vast slate of media gigs, but it still was a bit surprising considering how often Belichick mocked social media over the course of his tenure in Foxboro, Mass.

The eight-time Super Bowl champion also used to warn Patriots players about the dangers of social media. So the folks at One Patriot Place unsurprisingly got a kick out of Belichick jumping on the 'Gram.

"Everyone in here was laughing about it. His followers are going crazy right now," defensive tackle Daniel Ekuale told ESPN's Mike Reiss. "He was always on top of us, saying 'Be careful on social media with what you post.' But I feel like with him not coaching right now, it's good for him to engage on social media."

Patriots players weren't the only ones taken aback by Belichick joining Instagram. His son, New England safeties coach Brian Belichick, admitted it was "surprising" to see his father make an account.

Time will tell how active Belichick is on Instagram, though. He could shy away from it as early as next NFL season when he reportedly wants to return to coaching.