Patriots Fans Will Love This Story About Bill Belichick, a Football And a Shovel

The New England Patriots dominated the NFL for two decades. Jeff Benedict’s “The Dynasty” covers several anecdotes related to the Patriots’ dynasty. Patriots fans will definitely love one particular story and it involves head coach Bill Belichick, a football, and a shovel.

New England had lost the Week 4 game of the 2001 NFL season. It was Tom Brady’s second start following Drew Bledsoe’s injury. The Pats had a 1-3 record. In Week 3, the Patriots won the game against the Indianapolis Colts.

The team had to do something. Belichick had a clear representation and he made a really good point.

Patriots fans will be impressed with Belichick’s story

The Athletic shared more details of Benedict’s book.

“One of Belichick’s strengths, however, was his ability to focus on things within his control and ignore circumstances outside his control. He also made a point of constantly driving that mentality into his players. If he was sweating, he wasn’t going to let his players see it. When the Patriots returned to the practice field after losing in Miami, they discovered a large hole that had been hand-dug. Belichick was standing next to it, with a football in one hand and a shovel in the other. ‘You guys see this ball?’ he said. ‘This is the ball from the game yesterday.’

Patriots playerd nodded, and Belichick’s next move surprised everyone.

“’And this is what I think of it,’ he said, tossing it into the hole.

“The players watched as Belichick shoveled dirt on top of the ball. When he finished, he stuck the shovel in the ground. ‘That game’s over,’ Belichick told them. ‘We’re burying it and moving on.’“

Players liked the approach and it affected the entire team. TB12 got the message. New England tried to overcome a late deficit. They defeated the San Diego Chargers in overtime in Week 5. Belichick’s team finished the regular season with an 11-5 record and had a good shot at the St Louis Rams in Super Bowl XXXVI.

Many thought that Belichick would lose his job. However, he changed the game and everyone considered him a genius. Belichick’s reputation improved over time and today, he is the best coach in the NFL. The Patriots have won six Super Bowls thanks to Belichick’s intelligence.