Juju Smith-Schuster seems to take dig at Bill Belichick, says Pats locker room ‘vibes’ are ‘way better’ now

Bill Belichick had a unique approach to coaching and it certainly was not a hit with everyone. While his “Patriot Way” was effective for a while, seeing unprecedented success over two decades, the wheels began falling off once quarterback Tom Brady left.

Belichick is now out and the Patriots have a new coach in Jerod Mayo, former player and linebackers coach for the team. We have yet to see what Mayo can do to help turn this struggling squad around, but there have already been noticeable changes in how things are done.

While some players have spoken out saying Belichick’s style of coaching is one they prefer, others have alluded that the team is in a better spot now that “The Hoodie” is gone. 

Patriots wide receiver Juju Smith-Schuster seemingly took a dig at his old coach, telling the media, “Wait til you see the locker room. The vibes are way better.”

The “vibes” may be good, but that won’t matter if they are independent to what is happening on the field. We will not know whether Mayo’s style will work with this group until we see them compete in September, but with so many changes, struggles are expected.

Whatever the feeling in the locker room is, it has not helped the team’s odds going into the 2024 season. The Patriots are not favored to win any games this season and have the second-worst odds to win the Super Bowl (+17500).

The Patriots finished 4-12 last season, the worst record in the AFC. Smith-Schuster did not contribute to the lackluster offense much, with 29 receptions for 260 yards and one touchdown in 11 games, seven of which were starts. Smith-Schuster did note that he was not at 100 percent last season, as he dealt with knee injuries, but now feels ready to go.

Smith-Schuster, now at full capacity according to him, also is clearly liking his working environment and will be catching passes from a different quarterback than he was last year. Drake Maye,…

Source link : https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/juju-smith-schuster-seems-to-take-dig-at-bill-belichick-says-pats-locker-room-vibes-are-way-better-now/

Author : Shanna McCarriston

Publish date : 2024-05-21 20:53:46

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