Question:
I know that you were asked about the communication issues last night and I know that you said that you didn’t have any idea why that happened. The NFL released a statement we all saw. I was wondering if you had any answers since last night beyond that statement the NFL released.
Answer:
“No. No. I’ll just say, it’s pretty common, you know. Look, there’s a lot of stuff down there. There is the coach to quarterback stuff. Offense and defense. There is the headsets to the press box. There are the tablets. There is a lot of stuff going on there. You know, we had some problems. Just as an example, we had some problems in the first half and then it seemed to be OK. Then we got to the end of the game and most of the problems we had were on our last possession, our last two possessions on offense and defense. Sometimes it goes along and it’s fine, and then for some reason something happens and then you go to the guys on the sideline, the blue hats or purple hats, whatever they’re called, and then you tell them about it. They fix it. I don’t really know enough about technology to know how any of that works. But that’s how it goes. You know, we ended up hard-wiring a couple of our headsets to kind of eliminate the wireless part of it. But, you know, it’s not an uncommon problem. We ended up having to signal some of our plays offensively [when] we couldn’t get them in. I think we look at it as something you have to be ready for every week and we practice it. So, home, away, I don’t really think there is any common denominator on that.
“But I’d just say, you know, kind of tying this in with a couple things from last week, or earlier in the week. I just think overall, it’s kind of sad really to see some stories written that obviously have an agenda to them, with misinformation and anonymous type comments. You know, writing about warm drinks and trash cans and stuff like that. I think it’s a sad commentary and I think it’s gone to a pretty low level. It’s sunk pretty deep.
“First of all, I’d just say, I think our program here is built on competition and trying to improve every day and trying to work hard. It’s not built on excuses. We just try to go to work and improve and find a way to get better. This organization has won a lot of games. Particularly in reference to the great teams from ’01, ’03, ’04, back in there, and all the great players that played on those teams – Ty Law, [Lawyer] Milloy, Otis Smith, Rodney Harrison, [Tedy] Bruschi, [Larry] Izzo, [Willie] McGinest, [Mike] Vrabel, [Anthony] Pleasant, [Richard] Seymour, Matt Light, [Joe] Andruzzi, Steve Neal, [Deion] Branch, Troy Brown, [Tom] Brady, Antowain Smith, Kevin Faulk, Corey Dillon, Lonie Paxton, [Adam] Vinatieri. To take away from what those guys accomplished, what those teams accomplished, how good they were, how many great players we had, how well they played in big games, how consistently they showed up and made big plays and game-winning plays, it’s just not right. Those guys, they were great players. And many more. Those are a few of them. And great teams.
“I’m not going to get into a back and forth on it. But that’s the way I feel about it.”
Belichick was then asked a follow-up question specifically about Mike Tomlin’s remarks after the game in which he said “that’s always the case” regarding headsets going out at Gillette Stadium.
“I’ll just leave it at that,” Belichick said. “I’m not going to get into a back and forth on this.”
Asked if his team has the same issues on the road with headsets, Belichick said, “Yeah, I’m focused on the game here. I’m not going to keep talking about it. I’m really not. That’s all I have to say.”
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