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‘You can’t say that to the team’: Bill Belichick’s detailed reasoning for not resting starters
The former Patriots coach offered a breakdown of why it's difficult to rest players in so-called "meaningless" games at the end of the regular season.
Bill Belichick on why he didn’t like resting starters: One of the traits of a Bill Belichick team — particularly during his unprecedented run of success with the Patriots — was that he mostly kept starters on the field even when the outcome (be it the specific game or the wider playoff picture) was decided.
In the moment, Belichick generally avoided providing explanations for his thinking. Despite questions about the wisdom of leaving franchise pillars like Tom Brady or Rob Gronkowski (among others) in to play and risk injury in so-called “meaningless” games after the team had clinched its playoff spot, Belichick usually eschewed the lengthier quotes (per his style).
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But in the short remaining window of time in which Belichick is still a media member (and not the head coach of the University of North Carolina), he has shown an ability to articulate some of these points in thoughtful ways.
He did this during the recent episode of the “Let’s Go!” podcast, co-hosted with Jim Gray. During an interview with Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh, the subject of resting starters at the end of the regular season came up.
Asked about the subject, Harbaugh — whose Los Angeles team has secured a wild card berth but cannot overtake the Chiefs to win the division — gave some concise reasoning.
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“You know, the thing that doesn’t resonate right now is ‘play the backups,’” he told Gray. “What are we going to do, dress 25 guys for the game?”
Belichick nodded along with Harbaugh, adding “exactly” in agreement as the Chargers’ coach spoke. He then elaborated further on the why he’d struggled with the notion of benching players for the sake of rest.
“That’s what some people, I think, have a hard time with is, ‘Well, don’t play your starters.’ I mean, you can only have seven inactive guys,” Belichick explained. “Who are they? And it’s tough to go to your team and say, ‘Well, we’re not going to play you guys over here, but the rest of you get out there. We don’t really care about you. If you get hurt, that doesn’t matter, but these six or seven guys we’re going to protect.’
“You can’t say that to the team,” he continued. “That doesn’t resonate well at all, nor should it. So I always had a hard time with that one. Now, if a guy was fighting an injury and everybody understood that the guy was fighting an injury, okay, that’s one thing. But to just say, ‘Well, you guys are important, but you other guys aren’t, we don’t care what happens to you. Get out there and play.’ That’s not a message I could ever send to the team. Even though there were people in the organization that wanted me to send that, I just couldn’t do it.”
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Belichick’s interesting admission at the end — that “there were people in the organization” who wanted him to send a message of hierarchy — is intriguing, though he did not follow it up with additional specifics.
The former New England coach wrestled with this particular issue more than most. In his incredible run with the Patriots, Belichick coached the team to 17 division titles, including 11 in a row from 2009-2019.
Will the @Chargers take it easy and rest their stars in Week 18?
— SiriusXM NFL Radio (@SiriusXMNFL) December 31, 2024
“We’re attacking it with an enthusiasm unknown to mankind.”
Jim Harbaugh with @JimGrayOfficial & Bill Belichick on Let’s Go! 🔗 https://t.co/P7t3VoA6wC pic.twitter.com/kebpQNw9qK
Trivia: From 2001-2019, Bill Belichick’s Patriots won all but two AFC East divisional titles. Can you name the two specific years (and specific teams) that were the exceptions in that time?
(Answer at the bottom)
Hint: One was a Herman Edwards-coached team, the other was highlighted by the “Wildcat” formation usage.
Scores and schedules:
The Boston Fleet lost 3-1 to the Montreal Victoire on Monday. The Fleet take the ice again on Thursday against the Frost in Minnesota at 7:30 p.m.
The Celtics host the Raptors at 3 p.m. today.
The Bruins also play today, with a matinee matchup on the road against the Capitals at 12:30 p.m.
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Two former Patriots recall winning Tom Brady’s trust: Julian Edelman and Rob Gronkowski looked back on the moment they won the trust of their Hall of Fame quarterback.
On this day: In 2006, the Patriots closed out the regular season with New Year’s Eve win (40-23) over the Titans. The game was notable for 43-year-old backup QB Vinny Testaverde making a late-game cameo, going 2-for-3 with a touchdown pass.
Daily highlight: The Lions called on some well-executed trickery to score a touchdown during the Monday night win over the 49ers. Jameson Williams took the lateral and sprinted clear for a the score.
Trivia answer: 2002 Jets, 2008 Dolphins
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