New England Patriots

Morning sports update: Michael Bennett says he ‘learned a lot’ with the Patriots, calls Bill Belichick a ‘savant’

"At the end of the day, I just think Bill is a great motivator. I think he understands football from the beginning."

Michael Bennett with the Patriots in October prior to his trade to the Cowboys. Mark Tenally/Associated Press

By Hayden Bird

3 minutes to read

The Celtics fell to the Clippers in overtime on Wednesday night, 107-104. Jayson Tatum led the way for Boston with 30 points.

On Friday, the Celtics will be in Denver to face the Nuggets at 9 p.m.

The Bruins are at TD Garden today against the Sabres at 7 p.m.

And the Patriots face the Cowboys on Sunday at 4:25 p.m.

Michael Bennett on Bill Belichick: Despite the fact that defensive end Michael Bennett’s time in New England didn’t go the way either side wanted, it appears the 34-year-old has no hard feelings.

After trading for Bennett in the offseason to help shore up the team’s pass rush, the Patriots then dealt him again in October to the Cowboys. The reason for trading him was partly due to a diminished role in the game plan (he played fewer than half of the defensive snaps in six games).

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The other part of the trade was due to differences with the Patriots’ coaching staff, as Bennett was suspended for a week from the team prior to the trade for “detrimental conduct.”

Still, Bennett harbors no ill will. And in three games with Dallas, Bennett already has three sacks. Before Sunday’s Cowboys-Patriots matchup at Gillette Stadium, he shared his thoughts on his short stay in New England.

“I learned a lot of football in New England,” Bennett told ESPN’s Todd Archer on Wednesday. “I think at the same time as a player you go into the situation and you think you know football, then you meet somebody [like Belichick] who’s above you and knows everything about the game. For me, I learned a lot about football in that situation, learning how to execute at a high level, learning what it takes to develop players. I learned what it feels like to break down a game plan from a different perspective, and I think it was good for me as a player. If I ever want to be a coach, it would be a good situation to take into that.”

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Bennett said that, “It’s never personal in the NFL,” regarding his October exit from the then-undefeated Patriots.

On Belichick, he had nothing but praise.

“At the end of the day, I just think Bill is a great motivator,” Bennett explained. “I think he understands football from the beginning. He’s a historian when it comes to football, plays. He can remember anything when it comes to it. He’s just a savant. I think he just knows how to put people in great positions to make plays, and I think you always go over every single thing about the game, the things that teams do, the chances that they might take, and I think probability plays a lot into the execution of the team.”

If Bennett is on the Cowboys’ active roster Sunday, Dallas will officially owe New England a sixth-round draft pick as part of the trade terms.

Bennett also had praise for Tom Brady, calling him an “approachable player” despite his superstar status.

“I think that’s what makes Brady one of the best leaders in the NFL,” Bennett concluded.

Trivia: What Cowboys Hall of Fame running back is responsible for the longest touchdown run in NFL history?

(Answer at the bottom).

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Hint: Like former Patriots Ty Law and Darrelle Revis, he’s from Aliquippa, Pennsylvania.

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Patriots rookie defensive end Chase Winovich bought his mother a car:

On this day: In 2012, AC Milan center back Philippe Mexès scored an absolutely stunning bicycle in the Champions League.

Daily highlight: Marcus Smart with a characteristic hustle play.

Bonus: A throwback to the time the Patriots and Cowboys played in 2007.

https://twitter.com/Patriots/status/1197500911003865088

Trivia answer: Tony Dorsett

Video: Is Tom Brady right to be upset?

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