Bill Belichick Sends Message To Tom Brady-Less Offense At Pats Camp

Tom Brady had a day off of practice on Friday, but that didn’t lower Bill Belichick’s offensive standards.

After rookie wide receiver N’Keal Harry lined up incorrectly during the team’s second day at training camp, Belichick sent his entire offense — including Brady, who watched the practice in workout clothes — on a lap around the goalposts before gathering the entire roster together in a massive huddle.

Backup quarterback Brian Hoyer revealed Bill Belichick’s simple message:

“It’s just about accountability, making sure you do the right thing,” said Hoyer, who had some stern words for Harry after the play. “If you’re out on the field on Sunday, you can’t have that stuff going on. So it just shows us you can’t take a second off. You’ve got to be on top of everything — the personnel groupings, whatever it is, 10 men in the huddle, 11 men in the huddle. Always be on top of it and don’t take it for granted.

“I think that something that we do a great job is trying not to take anything for granted. We screwed up, we deserved to take that lap, and hopefully, we learn from it and don’t do it again.”

Brian Hoyer on Bill Belichick’s message to the offense late in practice: “If you’re out on the field on Sunday, you can’t have that stuff going on. So it just shows us you can’t take a second off. You’ve got to be on top of everything.” pic.twitter.com/0cLguXdQBQ

— Zack Cox (@ZackCoxNESN) July 26, 2019

With Brady’s absence, Friday’s practice was far from an offensive masterclass, but Hoyer and rookie Jarrett Stidham did end things on a positive note. After a misfire on the first post-lap snap, the two signal-callers combined for nine consecutive completions to close out the day.

Hoyer also connected with tight end Matt LaCosse and wideout Phillip Dorsett on long touchdowns earlier in full-team drills, and Stidham’s 5-for-5 final series featured a few of his best throws of camp thus far.

“We ask a lot of the quarterback, and there’s a lot on your plate. So you just try to take as much as you can, digest it and keep on moving forward,” said Hoyer.