The New England Patriots were used to excellence.
Bill Belichick ran the team like a military unit for more than two decades, and more often than not, his ways worked.
The Patriots developed such a strong, winning culture that not even Belichick was safe from his own standards.
That’s also why Tom Brady agrees with Jerod Mayo when he calls his team “soft.”
Talking on SiriusXM NFL Radio, the legendary quarterback claimed that Coach Belichick actually taught him that there were three stats to prove whether a team was soft or not (via Los Talks Pats).
Tom Brady says statistics support Jerod Mayo calling the #Patriots soft:
“I think when we say something like (soft)… we think that that’s almost like a trait. And I think the thing I always learned from Coach Belichick was that there’s actually statistics that support that.… pic.twitter.com/yxtVbxfRBu
— Carlos Talks Pats (@LosTalksPats) October 23, 2024
Brady said that their teams considered themselves to be physical football teams if they were good at stopping the run, running the ball, and covering kicks.
Thus, if the Patriots aren’t doing so at a high level right now, they cannot be considered a tough team.
The Patriots weren’t expected to compete at the highest level this season from a talent standpoint.
Then again, a lack of effort was never an issue in Foxboro, and that’s what might be frustrating for their first-year coach.
The team has looked better on offense, with Drake Maye taking the reins from Jacoby Brissett’s hands, but they still cannot run the football efficiently.
It will be a while before this team gets back on track, and chances are things will get worse before they get any better.
Developing a culture of effort and accountability will be Mayo’s biggest challenge and the one that might determine whether he keeps his job or not.
