‘Not human’ Belichick’s drive to greatness

Only two months had passed. There was no way Bill Belichick had already forgotten the Patriots had hoisted their second Lombardi Trophy in three years when New England opened minicamp in April. “You would have thought we went 2-14,” safety Devin McCourty said of the edge with which Belichick facilitated the team’s first practice back together in 2017 after winning the Super Bowl over the Atlanta Falcons last February. “He was ripping us apart.”

Accountability drives the bus in New England.

Belichick hands out position-specific checklists corresponding to the game plan. Players will be quizzed in position meetings and in front of the team if Belichick gets the urge. Game week is as much academic as anything for the Patriots.

Every alignment the Eagles might use in Super Bowl LII and the team’s propensity to run certain plays from that set are to be engrained in New England’s defense well before the team takes a group photo at U.S. Bank Stadium Saturday.

Extensive preparation helps define the Patriots.

“Take nothing for granted,” said wide receiver Brandin Cooks, who is in his first season with the Patriots after an offseason trade from the New Orleans Saints. “I’ve got a lot of respect for him. He prepares every year like it’s his last.”

McCourty, a team captain since his second season in the NFL, said there is never a fear that Belichick will leave well enough alone. There’s no such thing as a perfect game. And you won’t have to ask Belichick to be told as much if you’re one of his 53 players.

“He keeps our sense of urgency high,” McCourty said.

“A lot of it, that’s just him. The love for the game.”

Is human nature not a contributing factor for Belichick?

“I don’t think he’s human,” McCourty quipped. “I don’t know what tests we need to run, but probably not.”

Belichick gently rolled back multiple questions Wednesday afternoon. Typical responses such as “not giving away our game plan” and “my focus is on Sunday night.”

Media might be sensitive to Belichick’s stance in the sessions, but players see a pretty similar posture.

McCourty said the treatment in the captain’s meeting, with longtime Patriots Tom Brady and Matthew Slater flanking the 30-year-old safety, is no different than it would be for a room full of rookies.

Former and current assistants rave, but fail to put into words and context, Belichick’s genius.

Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz broke into the NFL as an assistant and scout under Belichick with the Cleveland Browns in 1993. The experience, Schwartz said Wednesday, was “an absolute football education.”

Schwartz said Belichick coaches everyone in the building.

Every granular detail has importance, and Belichick demands of every staff member to make sure the 65-year-old coach gets to determine the significance of each item.

“Everyone understood – get on the same page, there is only one direction. And Bill set that direction,” Schwartz said. “He makes it clear with his philosophy.”

Twenty-five years later, Belichick is still dictating scouts chart the width of offensive line splits and asking them to equate the information to play selection.

About the only thing that has changed with Belichick is the weight of his ring-clad fingers.

Even if the Patriots add a sixth Lombardi Trophy since 2002 Sunday night, McCourty knows the celebration can only last so long around Belichick.

“Bill says it all the time,” McCourty said. “There’s a lot of hot air outside the building but if you want the truth, come to the 8 a.m. meeting.”