NFLPA Survey: Patriots, Bill Belichick falling short on and off the field

The New England Patriots missed the playoffs last season, finishing with an 8-9 record. As it turns out, they’re falling short on and off the field.

Bill Belichick’s life without Tom Brady isn’t going according to plan. Mac Jones is not Brady’s heir-apparent, at least not so far.

The NFLPA recently released a report card of all 32 teams based on their on-field success, culture and facilities. The survey polled more than 1,300 NFL players. New England has already taken steps this offseason to overhaul their coaching staff and modernize their culture, so perhaps they received the message early.

The Patriots finished 24th out of 32 NFL teams. That was good for a C- or worse in half the categories.

Patriots finish 24th in NFLPA survey

The survey itself painted a dark picture of how the Patriot Way actually impacts players:

“The player respondents’ feedback from our survey described the club’s facility as old, dated and in need of renovation,” the NFLPA wrote. “The staffing of the current facilities was also flagged as an issue in need of improvement, specifically in the weight room and training room. The player respondents’ indicated that facilities and operations at the Patriots can use a refresh.”

Said survey included a negative review of ownership, which is indicative of how players feel about Robert Kraft, as well.

“Given the results, it is understandable that only 64% of players believe club owner Robert Kraft is willing to spend the money necessary for upgrades, ranking him 26th in this category,” the survey read.

Yikes, indeed.

Life post-Brady was never going to be easy for New England. A step back was expected, to some degree. With Brady around, looming free agents would take less money in the hopes of winning a Super Bowl. That’s the kind of power the GOAT had over the rest of the league.

It’s not the case anymore, and players have adjusted their expectations.