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Patriots’ new players had a common feeling: They wanted to be coached by Bill Belichick
If it wasn’t already obvious, the sentiment was strongly reinforced Monday.
For the first time, tight end Hunter Henry, wide receiver Kendrick Bourne, defensive back Jalen Mills and defensive lineman Henry Anderson all discussed their decisions to sign with the New England Patriots.
They all wanted to be coached by Bill Belichick.
“I trust what we’re building here with the Patriots,” Henry said. “I think that was big in my decision on why I wanted to be a Patriot – the trust of Coach Belichick and what we’re building there, and I’m fired up to be a part of it.”
It would be disingenuous to gloss over the financial element, as the Patriots have spent more than $300 million this offseason. Henry and Jonnu Smith each signed deals worth $12.5 million per season, tying them for the third-highest annual salary at their position, while outside linebacker Matt Judon’s four-year, $56 million pact was the second-biggest free-agent contract of the Belichick era. The new additions are all well-paid.
From a football perspective, though, this group expects to maximize its talent because of the Patriots coaching staff.
“I’m glad I was picked by this group of people,” Bourne said. “The organization has been great for a long time. I’m just excited to come join a great place. I know they’re going to develop me into a better player. It was just dope to be picked in those chosen few of free agents.”
Mills is a versatile player who can play cornerback and safety. He spent an entire day at Gillette Stadium last week but noted the Patriots haven’t committed to one position for him. Mills just knew they’d put him in a position of strength.
Despite a lot of competition for his services, Mills cited three reasons for choosing the Patriots.
“When we’re talking about what was different between those teams and the Patriots, one, you have to start with this organization, what they stand by, what they represent,” Mills said. “Two, of course, being coached by Coach Belichick, I don’t even have to speak too much about that. And three, how they run their defense, they’ve got guys who are very versatile. You see them playing guys in multiple positions. I think that’s what this league is going to now. You’ve got guys playing multiple positions, and it’s all about confusing these quarterbacks and being able to make plays.”
Just how big of a factor was Belichick?
“It was huge,” Mills said. “When we were talking about his defensive mind, how he is able to put guys in the best position to make plays for a team, you can’t ask for anything more. … You want a coach who knows exactly what you do best, put you in positions to do that and help you win football games. It was definitely a major key, being able to be coached by that guy, for sure.”
Anderson has long admired the Patriots defense and studied them frequently while beginning his career with the Colts (2015-17) and Jets (2018-20). He felt well-suited to play for Belichick’s 3-4 base.
“Coach Belichick is one of the great defensive coaches and defensive minds in the history of the league,” Anderson said. “It’s a great chance to play for a coach like that and continue to learn and improve my game. I’m really excited.
“I’m just glad I was one of those guys that they wanted to come in.”
Now, this new generation has an opportunity to build upon the legacy that attracted them to the Patriots in the first place.
“It was just awesome to get a call from a place like that,” Bourne said. “I know it was the best decision for me, organization-wise. They’re going to win again. That (7-9 record in 2020) was just a one-year thing, I feel like, so I knew I wanted to be a part of the new era, whatever you want to call it. Just to be picked with a great group of guys by a great organization, it just shows me my potential.”
Here are eight more notes from the Monday calls.
1. Jarrett Stidham organized a passing camp this week in California. Bourne and Henry are among the group out west.
“He’s going to give me some tips, help me out, and we’re just going to work out for a week,” Bourne said Monday before their first session. “It’s going to be awesome.”
2. Mills had a memorable first encounter with Belichick last week. As Mills was in the Gillette Stadium cafeteria meeting with the team nutritionist, Belichick caught him by surprise.
“I’m about to walk out of the cafeteria,” Mills said, “and I hear, ‘Hey, Jalen.’ So I turned around, and it’s Coach. In my mind, I’m saying, ‘OK, this is Coach,’ but it really didn’t click that it was Coach Belichick. He’s just talking to me, telling me, ‘Happy to have you. Glad for you to be here. I’m excited for you to be here.’ And I literally turned my back to him, and I screamed out loud, ‘This is Coach Belichick!’ Excuse my language, I’m like, ‘This is fucking Coach Belichick!’ I screamed it loud.
“Then I turned back around, and he was still like monotone, regular, still having a casual conversation with me when I’m freaking out. I was like, ‘My fault, Coach.’ And I was like, ‘Coach, one more thing, I have got to cut you off. I don’t want to disrespect you. You’re a legend to me. I’m happy to be here.’ He was just like, ‘Same, I’m happy for you to be here. I can’t wait to get going.’ That was definitely a highlight moment.”
3. Henry has been
If it wasn’t already obvious, the sentiment was strongly reinforced Monday.
For the first time, tight end Hunter Henry, wide receiver Kendrick Bourne, defensive back Jalen Mills and defensive lineman Henry Anderson all discussed their decisions to sign with the New England Patriots.
They all wanted to be coached by Bill Belichick.
“I trust what we’re building here with the Patriots,” Henry said. “I think that was big in my decision on why I wanted to be a Patriot – the trust of Coach Belichick and what we’re building there, and I’m fired up to be a part of it.”
It would be disingenuous to gloss over the financial element, as the Patriots have spent more than $300 million this offseason. Henry and Jonnu Smith each signed deals worth $12.5 million per season, tying them for the third-highest annual salary at their position, while outside linebacker Matt Judon’s four-year, $56 million pact was the second-biggest free-agent contract of the Belichick era. The new additions are all well-paid.
From a football perspective, though, this group expects to maximize its talent because of the Patriots coaching staff.
“I’m glad I was picked by this group of people,” Bourne said. “The organization has been great for a long time. I’m just excited to come join a great place. I know they’re going to develop me into a better player. It was just dope to be picked in those chosen few of free agents.”
Mills is a versatile player who can play cornerback and safety. He spent an entire day at Gillette Stadium last week but noted the Patriots haven’t committed to one position for him. Mills just knew they’d put him in a position of strength.
Despite a lot of competition for his services, Mills cited three reasons for choosing the Patriots.
“When we’re talking about what was different between those teams and the Patriots, one, you have to start with this organization, what they stand by, what they represent,” Mills said. “Two, of course, being coached by Coach Belichick, I don’t even have to speak too much about that. And three, how they run their defense, they’ve got guys who are very versatile. You see them playing guys in multiple positions. I think that’s what this league is going to now. You’ve got guys playing multiple positions, and it’s all about confusing these quarterbacks and being able to make plays.”
Just how big of a factor was Belichick?
“It was huge,” Mills said. “When we were talking about his defensive mind, how he is able to put guys in the best position to make plays for a team, you can’t ask for anything more. … You want a coach who knows exactly what you do best, put you in positions to do that and help you win football games. It was definitely a major key, being able to be coached by that guy, for sure.”
Anderson has long admired the Patriots defense and studied them frequently while beginning his career with the Colts (2015-17) and Jets (2018-20). He felt well-suited to play for Belichick’s 3-4 base.
“Coach Belichick is one of the great defensive coaches and defensive minds in the history of the league,” Anderson said. “It’s a great chance to play for a coach like that and continue to learn and improve my game. I’m really excited.
“I’m just glad I was one of those guys that they wanted to come in.”
Now, this new generation has an opportunity to build upon the legacy that attracted them to the Patriots in the first place.
“It was just awesome to get a call from a place like that,” Bourne said. “I know it was the best decision for me, organization-wise. They’re going to win again. That (7-9 record in 2020) was just a one-year thing, I feel like, so I knew I wanted to be a part of the new era, whatever you want to call it. Just to be picked with a great group of guys by a great organization, it just shows me my potential.”
Here are eight more notes from the Monday calls.
1. Jarrett Stidham organized a passing camp this week in California. Bourne and Henry are among the group out west.
“He’s going to give me some tips, help me out, and we’re just going to work out for a week,” Bourne said Monday before their first session. “It’s going to be awesome.”
2. Mills had a memorable first encounter with Belichick last week. As Mills was in the Gillette Stadium cafeteria meeting with the team nutritionist, Belichick caught him by surprise.
“I’m about to walk out of the cafeteria,” Mills said, “and I hear, ‘Hey, Jalen.’ So I turned around, and it’s Coach. In my mind, I’m saying, ‘OK, this is Coach,’ but it really didn’t click that it was Coach Belichick. He’s just talking to me, telling me, ‘Happy to have you. Glad for you to be here. I’m excited for you to be here.’ And I literally turned my back to him, and I screamed out loud, ‘This is Coach Belichick!’ Excuse my language, I’m like, ‘This is fucking Coach Belichick!’ I screamed it loud.
“Then I turned back around, and he was still like monotone, regular, still having a casual conversation with me when I’m freaking out. I was like, ‘My fault, Coach.’ And I was like, ‘Coach, one more thing, I have got to cut you off. I don’t want to disrespect you. You’re a legend to me. I’m happy to be here.’ He was just like, ‘Same, I’m happy for you to be here. I can’t wait to get going.’ That was definitely a highlight moment.”
3. Henry has been
