NFL
Football giant falters: The Patriots’ sporting decline
The departure of star quarterback Tom Brady (l) noticeably weakened Patriots coach Bill Belichick. photo
© Steven Senne/AP/dpa
Nobody likes defeat – especially the former football champion New England Patriots. After Tom Brady, the next club legend could soon be gone.
These days the disproportion between the glorious history and the dreary present is becoming more and more apparent New England Patriots particularly clear.
Before the game against the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday (3:30 p.m./RTL and DAZN), the so-called “Patriots House” in the heart of Frankfurt commemorates the great successes of the traditional club, for which Oliver Bierhoff (55) has also been working since October. For the first time in the club’s history, the six Vince Lombardi trophies were shipped abroad. Numerous photos, shirts and banners on the walls bear witness to great victories – but they were all a long time ago.
Brady’s departure leaves a big gap
Everyday life looks completely different three and a half years after the departure of quarterback legend Tom Brady. While Brady led the team from Foxborough to numerous successes and a total of six titles, the Patriots are now one of the worst football teams in the NFL with seven defeats from nine games this season.
In Germany, the series of bankruptcies is taken calmly. Nothing should dampen the anticipation of the first game of the season in the Frankfurt stadium. “This is the most successful club of all time, there’s no getting around it. There are six trophies. It’s true that things aren’t going so well this year. That’s okay after 20 years. I’m sure we’ll be back there is getting up to speed,” said ex-professional Sebastian Vollmer. Even against the Colts, who are rather modest in terms of sport, the Patriots find themselves in an outsider role.
Head coach expresses slogans for perseverance
The club is currently reminiscent of a sleeping giant that has not been able to set the course after Brady’s departure. If the sporting low continues, it will also be difficult for legendary coach Bill Belichick. When the 71-year-old coach was confronted with questions about his future earlier this week, he responded very briefly – and rather meaninglessly.
Does he have a job guarantee for the rest of the season? His focus is now on the Colts game. Does he think he’s already playing for his job against the Colts? “I will control what I can control and prepare our team for the Colts game,” the six-time championship coach responded. Self-confidence sounds different. After Brady’s departure in the spring of 2020, Belichick’s next big pillar of the successful era could soon collapse.
The special significance of the Germany guest appearance
The sporting lull is unlikely to dampen the hype in Germany. Numerous fans wanted to visit the Patriots house, which was built in a hotel, around the game. There are likely to be thousands of club supporters dressed in dark blue in the stadium. “The Patriots are the most successful franchise of the past 20 years, of course shaped by Belichick and Brady,” said consultant Bierhoff. But yesterday’s successes are not helping at the moment, as the former DFB official notes. “Now other teams are following suit. That’s the exciting thing about US sport: There’s always variety, it’s constant ups and downs.”
Participation in the playoffs is no longer realistic for the German crowd puller this season. But what happens next for Belichick, who has coached the team since 2000 and enjoys legendary status in the club? Ex-professional Vollmer has a clear opinion on this. “So I believe that he is undisputedly one of the best coaches the league has ever had. That stands for itself,” said the former Patriots player. The game against the Colts may not have much sporting relevance, but it is an excellent opportunity for self-promotion in the growing German market.