These aren’t the same New England Patriots you remember.
Gone is the six-time Super Bowl-winning head coach Bill Belichick, who reigned as both de facto general manager and coach for 23 years. Gone is the secretive and robotic messaging when dealing with the outside world. Gone are the “do your job” slogans and old ways of looking at things.
The changes in New England start at the top with first-year head coach Jerod Mayo and executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf. Those changes have trickled down to the coaching staff and roster.
But they’re also being displayed throughout the building at Gillette Stadium. The Athletic’s Jeff Howe wrote about some of the many changes in New England, including the addition of basketball hoops in the locker room and less Super Bowl memorabilia.
Howe wrote:
Mayo also has changed the vibe around the building. There’s a basketball hoop in the locker room, and some coaches even have one in their meeting rooms for an added dose of competition. The cafeteria has turned into a spot where all these new faces are encouraged to hang out and get to know each other better.
…Noticeably, Mayo has pared down the memorabilia from Super Bowls past. The purpose is twofold. First, to signify that this is a completely different team. Second, while it’s important to see the results of the franchise’s past seasons, it’s more valuable to recognize and prioritize the process of achieving those results.
Mayo clearly isn’t looking to erase the Patriots’ past glory. That is something that should and will always be celebrated as long as the team exists.
But there’s also the fact that you can’t win football games on past glory. It’s a new era for the Patriots without Bill Belichick and Tom Brady in the building. The giant figureheads responsible for helping to create the greatest dynasty in NFL history are gone.
These new Patriots must forge their own path, and they won’t find it looking in the rearview.
