Tom E. Curran explains how poor roster building on the part of Bill Belichick and the front office, along with too small a coaching staff, is a major cause of the Patriots’ offensive issues right now.
Bill Belichick isn't one for lengthy postgame chats on the field, especially after losses. But one former New England Patriots player still felt snubbed by his ex-coach at Allegiant Field on Sunday.
Raiders defensive tackle Adam Butler, who spent his first four NFL seasons with the Patriots from 2017 to 2020, claimed Belichick failed to acknowledge him after Las Vegas' 21-17 win over New England -- and he wasn't pleased about it.
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"It did make me very upset that Bill didn't even have the respect for me to say anything after the game," Butler told reporters, via 8 News Now's Logan Reever.
"Not even congratulating me. You don't tell me, ‘You look good’ or ‘You don't look good,’ whatever. ‘Kiss my ass.' Something. But he didn't say anything. So, kind of felt disrespected. It made me feel bad."
"... I know Coach Belichick has bigger things to worry about, obviously, they going through a tough time, but I mean, Geez, wave. Something. But, nothing."
Butler may have set too high expectations for his former boss. Belichick's postgame handshake with Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels -- who worked with Belichick for the better part of two decades -- lasted about one second, while Las Vegas wide receiver Jakobi Meyers said he and Belichick didn't cross paths at any point Sunday despite Meyers being the Patriots' leading receiver for three consecutive seasons from 2020 to 2022.
So if Butler, who last played for New England in 2020 and is on his second team since leaving Foxboro, thought Belichick would seek him out for a postgame handshake Sunday, he was sorely mistaken.
In any case, Butler is probably glad he's in Las Vegas and not New England. The Patriots are off to their worst start since the 1995 season with a 1-5 record and look like one of the NFL's worst teams, while the Raiders moved to 3-3 with their victory and are among the NFL's middle class.
