Bill Belichick claps back at Rex Ryan's bold take on Patriots HC’s methods
Bill Belichick has been under intense fire in 2023 and with good reason. The New England Patriots are an awful team, and not even a high draft pick can cover the fact that there has been an atrocious job on all levels inside the organization - and the head coach isn't immune to any criticism.
But one of the recent attacks came from a guy who was beaten over and over by Belichick. Rex Ryan, who coached both the New York Jets and the Buffalo Bills, said that the Patriots players are tired of the harsh methods used by the organization, and that Tom Brady was the reason why that plan worked for such a long time.
On Monday, Bill Belichick hit back. During an appearance on WEEI’s The Greg Hill Show, the New England Patriots leader dismissed Rex Ryan's claims, and while he did not disrespect his former rival by any means, he did make sure to set the record straight:
“Yeah, I’m not really sure what he’s talking about,” said Belichick. “Rex has never been with the Patriots. I’m not really sure what that means either. Look, we’re gonna do the best we can to prepare the team and compete every week. That’s what we’re gonna do, whatever that is.”
What did Rex Ryan say about Bill Belichick?
The former NFL head coach, who had different stints with the New York Jets and the Buffalo Bills, gave his view on the eternal discussion about which one was more responsible for the New England Patriots' success: Belichick or Tom Brady.
"The team plays like they're exhausted and the Patriot Way, that's it. It exhausts these kids and Tom Brady was the only reason you won anyway. Bill Belichick is the greatest in the history [of the NFL]. I will never dispute that. I had my a** kicked by him a million times. But if you think for a minute that it wasn't about Tom Brady, you're absolutely crazy."
During his stints as a head coach in the NFL, Ryan posted a 4-12 record against Belichick. However, he scored a historic playoff upset in 2010, when the #6 New York Jets defeated the #1 New England Patriots 28-21 in the AFC Divisional Round.