Patriots LB says players ‘definitely didn’t see’ Bill Belichick’s departure coming
"We definitely didn’t see it coming like that for real. Honestly, we didn’t think it was gonna happen."
Mack Wilson was feeling anxious as he awaited the Patriots’ decision on whether or not Bill Belichick would remain the team’s head coach.
Wilson, a 6-foot-1, 246-pound linebacker who posted 37 tackles and 3.5 sacks last season, wasn’t sure which direction the Patriots would go in, according to Sophie Weller of AtoZ Sports.
Ultimately, the Patriots and Belichick opted to part ways. Jerod Mayo, who reportedly had a succession plan written into his contract, took the helm as head coach.
“Honestly, we didn’t know as players,” Wilson told AtoZ Sports. “I feel like we was just taking it one day at a time, trying to put our best foot forward. And we honestly didn’t know if Bill was gonna be the head coach, if they was gonna move on from Bill, if Mayo was gonna get the head coach – we didn’t know nothing.”
“Obviously until we heard that RKK and Bill was gonna have the little thing together and whatnot and to discuss the future,” Wilson added. “I didn’t even get that feeling. We definitely didn’t see it coming like that for real. Honestly, we didn’t think it was gonna happen.”
Wilson said he found out about Mayo’s hire when a person sent him a screenshot of the news. He said it was a welcome surprise because “we all was rooting for Mayo to get it.”
“I texted my linebacker group in a group chat and we was just like really happy,” Wilson said. “We was pumped, we was excited, obviously for our position coach most importantly. We kind of felt that it was time, at least we kind of felt that he was going to get another job, whether it was a defensive coordinator job elsewhere or head coaching job.”
Wilson, who just wrapped up the final year of his contract, said he plans on testing the free-agent market. He’d like to stay in New England, he said, but he is looking forward to seeing what other offers are out there.
“Obviously Mayo’s one of the best coaches I’ve ever had in my life. I would love to continue to play for him, to get that experience, to be a part of that new era, to be a part of that cultural change and things like that. But when it’s all said and done, when that time comes, I’m gonna make the best decision I feel that’s right for my family and stuff like that.”
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