Bill Belichick gave draft prospects a chance they’ll never forget while coaching the 2023 East-West Shrine Bowl in Las Vegas.
The head coach of the New England Patriots was joined by some of his assistants for the annual All-Star event. As if that wasn’t a cool experience for the young group of players, they also got a taste of what it’s like to be reamed by one of the best coaches in NFL history.
On the latest episode of the Next Pats Podcast with Phil Perry, NBC Sports’ Eric Froton shared an incredible story of Belichick addressing the locker room with a pep talk.
Next Pats Podcast: Finding sleepers for the Patriots in the 2023 NFL Draft | Listen and Follow | Watch on YouTube
“After the practice sessions, I talked to Scott Matlock, an IDL (interior defensive lineman) for Boise State,” Froton recalled. “He told me a story about how before Day 3, they were in the locker room — the team coached by the Patriots — and Bill came in right before they came out and called a huddle and step. in. And all these kids are going to try to be NFL players.
“He came in and said, ‘I just want to let you all know before we go out on that field, I’ve never seen a player here that can beat the worst player on our team. You’re terrible, you don’t belong. here, and you better get out there and show us something or you’re not going to make the NFL.’ And he walked out the door and went to practice. Classic Bill right there.”
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Whether Belichick is serious or simply trying to fire up his guys is anyone’s guess. Regardless, it doesn’t get much more Belichickian than that, and it’s a story for the ages.
As for which prospects who played in the Shrine Bowl might appeal to Belichick and the Patriots in the upcoming NFL Draft, Froton and Perry hosted a full episode of the Next Pats Podcast. You can watch the latest episode on the NBC Sports Boston Podcast Network, or watch it on YouTube below: