The new England Patriots are in a deep hole this season, and he wheels may finally be coming off one of the best teams of the last decade.
The New England Patriots are facing a type of criticism they haven’t witnessed since Tom Brady and Bill Belichick united in the early 2000s.
After an embarrassing loss against the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday Night Football, the questions came aplenty: Is the dynasty over? Is Tom Brady done as a top quarterback in the NFL? Has Bill Belichick squandered the Patriots opportunity to be great by mismanaging talent?
But no question hit harder than that of former Patriots defensive tackle in Tommy Kelly, now a member of the Arizona Cardinals, as he questioned whether the Patriots are more worried about money or winning.
"Less than a week later, after playing three preseason games for New England, the Patriots cut him. Kelly was coming off ACL surgery, but felt he had worked hard to get back to the level coach Bill Belichick needed him to be at to start. The Patriots, looking to get younger, felt otherwise.“I saw the situation and I realized I probably wouldn’t be there,” Kelly said. “I couldn’t take busting my tail every day getting to a game and them taking me out of the game for someone who I know isn’t better than me, because he’s a cheaper option. Are we worried about money here? Or are we worried about winning?”"
More from New England Patriots
- NFL rumors: Dalvin Cook suitor maintaining very ‘real’ interest
- Patriots backup plan for DeAndre Hopkins is a shot in the dark
- NFL rumors: Patriots screwed themselves with DeAndre Hopkins pursuit
- Bill O’Brien arrival did not end the road for one disliked Patriots coach
- 3 biggest mistakes from the NFL offseason
Considering the Patriots have contended in the AFC since their first Super Bowl win, it’s hard to deny this team wants to win. They may have come up short on that end, dropping two Super Bowls to the New York Giants in the last ten years, but with Brady and Belichick at the helm, this team tries its best to win that fourth trophy.
The question of what lengths they’ll go to win have come under fire lately. It’s not a new revelation that the Patriots ownership and front office has penny-pinched in the Tom Brady era. But with Brady not being the player he once was, that flaw has shined bright as the Patriots have gotten off to an underwhelming 2-2 start, tied for the division lead with the Dolphins and Bills.
This won’t be the last of the criticism the Patriots take, but the talk could die down if they get back to what they’ve done best for the last decade-plus: win games. Until then, this franchise will be under the brightest of microscopes.
More on Fansided
NFL Power Rankings Week 4: Cowboys rise
College Basketball: Preseason AAC power rankings
NBA Power Rankings: 2014-15 training camp edition
Derek Jeter and MLB’s 20 richest players
All 30 NHL franchises ranked by all-time greatness