"It's just frustrating": Bill Belichick airs major grievance against NFL rules
Bill Belichick voiced his discontent about the NFL's restrictive field goal-blocking rules. The legendary coach pointed to mounting limitations that have stripped away a crucial strategic element from football's fabric.
Belichick, the former New England Patriots coach, shared his perspective following a controversial blocked field goal during the game between the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers game on Sunday. The incident reignited discussions about the NFL's expanding list of special teams restrictions.
The commentary emerged during Bill Belichick's appearance on the "Pat McAfee Show" on Monday. The conversation centered on Karl Brooks' game-winning field goal block that sealed Green Bay's victory over Chicago.
"You know, it's a tough one," Belichick said. "You know, they've almost made it illegal to block a field goal. I'm surprised that they have a rule where you're not allowed to cross the line of scrimmage like they had in the Pro Bowl a few years back. You can't overload, you can't jump, you can't push, you can't hit the center. It's so hard to block a kick that, I mean, I don't know if we're going to start, I don't know. It's just frustrating."
The Bears-Packers showdown exemplified these concerns. Cairo Santos' potential game-winning 46-yard field goal was blocked in the final seconds. The block preserved Green Bay's 20-19 lead and extended Chicago's losing streak to 10 games against their rivals.
Bears coach questions crucial clock amid Bill Belichick's take
Bears coach Matt Eberflus challenged the legality of the decisive play. NFL rules explicitly protect long-snappers during field goal attempts, classifying them as players in a "defenseless posture."
"We'll turn the play in," Eberflus said during a Monday's press conference. "They were on our long-snapper, so we'll turn the play in and see what the league said. We saw them making direct contact with him right away."
The NFL rulebook stipulates a 15-yard penalty and automatic first down for unnecessary contact with defenseless players. This protection extends to snappers during field goal attempts, punt returners and quarterbacks after possession changes.
The controversial finish dropped the Bears to 4-6, their fourth consecutive loss after a promising 4-2 start to Caleb Williams' rookie season. Eberflus' record against NFC North opponents fell to 2-11.
The sequence also sparked debate about Chicago's late-game strategy. With 35 seconds remaining and one timeout, the Bears opted against gaining more yards. Eberflus defended the decision, citing concerns about potential fumbles and their confidence in Santos from that distance.
This incident amplifies Bill Belichick's broader criticism of modern football's transformation. As player safety rules multiply, traditional game-changing elements like kick blocks become increasingly rare, fundamentally altering special teams' strategies.