OT: The Moment Belichick Figured Out Welker was Expendable

Submitted by OccaM on

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YFeZsWj9WFs

Just a funny moment that seems prophetic now looking back at it considering how upset people were when the Pats decided to not bring Welker back. 

I don't think Welker got it, but Belichick seemed dead serious haha. 

MGoBoard

CoverZero

February 8th, 2015 at 7:55 PM ^

No. He is doing his job:  Coaching.  He is telling the smirking Welker, that he had better get well soon and watch his back for competition.

Look...Life is competitive.  If you dont get that, then you will be shipped to Denver, or Green Bay.

Joined: 08/30/2014

MGoPoints: 14571

Caesar

February 9th, 2015 at 2:40 AM ^

To be honest, I wasn't at all familiar with him, so this is precisely the kind of context I was talking about. As it was presented, however--both by the author and in the clip--it does come off as Bill being a jerk.

If you have another clip to help me get an idea of this 'style,' I'd appreciate it. 

Joined: 03/25/2009

MGoPoints: 7726

NRK

February 10th, 2015 at 2:59 PM ^

If you can find it, the full version where this clip was from was titled "Bill Belichick: A Football Life" which aired on NFL Network a few years ago. I'm not a giant Belichick fan (quite the opposite), but I have a good amount of respect for him as a coach. The Football Life followed him around for an entire season and you get a good sense of his personality and style of delivery. 

 

It's also incredibly fascinating to watch, easily one of the best NFL-based documentaries I've ever seen.

Joined: 02/20/2009

MGoPoints: 6411

NittanyFan

February 8th, 2015 at 7:17 PM ^

(1) No use for Welker to necessarily play in a pre-season game.

(2) This was probably the moment where Belichick realized he had something in Edelman.   Edelman wound up making the Pats in 2009 instead of Greg Lewis, who was someone NE traded for that off-season (in exchange for a mid-round draft pick).

(3) Welker played for the Patriots from 2009-2012.  A full four regular seasons after this game.  Welker had 110+ (!!) receptions in 3 of those 4 seasons, he may have been expendable come spring of 2013 but he was a very valuable player for the Patriots in the 4 seasons prior.

 

Joined: 12/04/2012

MGoPoints: 43986

BlueInClearwater

February 9th, 2015 at 1:44 PM ^

It was Brady who was straight breakin' the Seahawks cornerback's ankles on those two inside-out routes in the SB with the second one resulting in the go-ahead TD, not Edelman. Both Welker and Edelman are tough receivers who aren't afraid to go over the middle and are crisp route runners. Yeah sure, it didn't hurt their careers to have Brady throwing them the ball, but they weren't "made" by him and would have had a place on the Patriots during their respective years playing for them no matter who the QB was, albeit most likely with less gaudy statistics.

Joined: 01/12/2011

MGoPoints: 627

bronxblue

February 8th, 2015 at 7:59 PM ^

Also, and I may be wrong about this, but I believe this was a preseason game in 2009.  So Welker didn't want to play in a preseason game, but he did play all but 1 game the next three years, catching more than 100 passes each season to lead the Patriots.  So, yeah, a guy 5 years younger than him did ultimately replace him, only after many years of productive play. 

I know people want to read this as some crazy mindgame by Bellicheck, but basically all that happened was Welker didn't play in a preseason game, Edelman took back a punt for a TD, and then 3 years later, after Welker and the Patriots got sick of each other and Welker went to play in Denver and compete in a SB, Edelman rose to prominence.  That's basically "football" and nothing more.

Joined: 11/22/2008

MGoPoints: 172099

NRK

February 8th, 2015 at 9:17 PM ^

Yeah, definitely seems prophetic. The move from Welker to Edelman was a good one, but only occurred after Welker started to decline as a player and his body started breaking down. Edelman was very rusty from 09-12 as he was learning the position. Certainly funny in the context but this was well planned out by the Patriots especially after all their misses at WR.

Joined: 02/20/2009

MGoPoints: 6411

treetown

February 8th, 2015 at 9:11 PM ^

There is a reason some guys fit in and thrive with the Patriots and some don't.  Probably a lot of this sort of give and take. We'll see what happens in the next few years - when Tom Brady calls it a career we'll see if Belichik keeps going or also packs it in - he got one good season out of Matt Cassell.

 

Joined: 11/10/2010

MGoPoints: 6339

double blue

February 8th, 2015 at 9:57 PM ^

Wally pipp's family moved to Birmingham michigan. His son and grandson , both also Wally, went to the university of Michigan and are fraternity brothers of mine. The grandson is my generation and a friend.



Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad

Joined: 09/03/2009

MGoPoints: 4332

Mittelstadt

February 9th, 2015 at 2:09 PM ^

My understanding is that Welker's wife wants him to stop playing altogether due to concussion issues.  

I don't think Welker should be disparaged in any way.  Yes, he dropped some passes at key times later in his run with the Pats.  One that was especially bad in one of the Super Bowls if memory serves.  But he also took enormous hits that I never thought he would get up from that helped the Pats win critical games.

I would rather see him retire based on what was discussed on the radio one morning drive into work re his concussions. 

Welker did compete and pay the price.  

And, conversely, Belichick is paid to never turn off his intensity.

Joined: 03/26/2011

MGoPoints: 333