Boomer Esiason Rips Critics of Patriots' Belichick: 'Idiots!'
There are some people in every New England Patriots fan’s life who have taken the team’s lack of recent success as an indictment on head coach Bill Belichick’s prowess. Thankfully, former NFL quarterback Boomer Esiason has saved fans the effort of defending possibly the greatest coach of all time.
Tuesday, on WEEI's “The Greg Hill Show,” Esiason sounded off on critics who are clamoring for Belichick’s seat to warm.
“Those ‘some people’ are idiots,” he said. “Do you see all the success the Patriots have had? Everybody knows who they are because of the success Bill Belichick has brought to that team. So anybody that ever even talks about firing Bill Belichick would be idiotic.”
Belichick has won six Super Bowls with New England, winning over 70 percent of the regular season games. He is almost unanimously viewed as the greatest to ever hold a clipboard, Microsoft tablet, or play sheet.
Belichick, in all his greatness, is not infallible. His inability to draft well, especially at wide receiver, has drawn headlines. His decision to name Matt Patricia, a defensive coach, as the Patriots’ quasi-offensive coordinator in 2022 stunted the growth of quarterback Mac Jones and backfired spectacularly.
Charles Krupa | Credit: AP
Still, you won’t find many in football advocating for the 71-year-old Belichick’s departure. Some have theorized that he’s simply partaking in side quests after achieving all there is to achieve as a coach. Others are optimistic that reuniting with offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien will fix this broken offense.
“The question really should be, how much longer does he want to do this?” Esiason said. “Because I think he has a contract in perpetuity for as long as he wants to coach.”
New England has made the playoffs once in the three seasons since legendary quarterback Tom Brady left town. It’s fair to suggest that it is playoffs or bust in terms of calling 2023 a success, but Belichick can withstand some more years of losing football. It seems two decades worth of victories earns coaches a longer leash.
The pressure to return to the playoffs is real, but is it fair? The AFC East is largely considered a three-team race due to the high-powered offenses that can run away from less dynamic teams, including the Patriots. One can argue Belichick, in New England, has never operated at such a talent disadvantage.
Even so, it’s hard to feel good betting against the greatest coach of all time. He’ll have the opportunity to quiet those critics Week 1, when the Patriots host the defending NFC champion Philadelphia Eagles.
