Bill Belichick is known for being stoic, but he has never been one to sugarcoat his opinions, especially when it comes to football. The Tar Heels coach unleashed a searing critique of the Chicago Bears’ roster-building strategy after the team delivered a 6-3 loss to the Seattle Seahawks
Bill Belichick Delivered His Verdict on The Bears’ Troubled Roster
Belichick was the head coach of the New England Patriots clan for 24 seasons, giving him the ability to look at the bigger picture and hold credibility in football discussions. Speaking on “The Pat McAfee Show,” the 72-year-old painted a grim picture of the Bears as a franchise seemingly stuck in reverse.
“You know, you and I have talked about the Bears. You go out, draft the quarterback, you go and acquire all the receivers and everything … but you know — no running game, no pass protection, no production, can’t score,” noted Belichick.
“In a city where you know it’s going to be tough to throw at the end of the season. Period,” Belichick said, emphasizing how Chicago’s strategy of accumulating offensive weapons while neglecting quarterback protection is flawed.
"I don't know if the way that the Bears put their team together is the way to do it..
You go out and get all these weapons and you have no pass protection..
They play in a city that you know is gonna be tough to throw in at the end of the season"
Coach Belichick #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/IfBqoeVnxl
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) December 30, 2024
The Bears have drafted Caleb Williams and added wideouts like DJ Moore and Keenan Allen over the last couple of offseasons, but those flashy moves haven’t translated into wins. Instead, Williams has spent most of his rookie season running for his life, enduring seven sacks in Week 17 alone behind an offensive line missing key starters Braxton Jones and Teven Jenkins.
The numbers are as brutal as Belichick’s critique. Williams has been sacked 67 times this season, a figure that trails only David Carr’s infamous rookie record of 76 sacks in 2002. Despite the unending pressure, Williams has managed respectable stats, amassing 3,393 passing yards, 19 touchdowns, and six interceptions. However, it’s not enough for Belichick, as he pointed out, as no quarterback can thrive without adequate protection.
The Bears’ 2024 season, guided by general manager Ryan Poles, has been a disaster. Their 10th consecutive loss in Week 17 dropped them to 4-12, highlighting a team that has yet to find its footing. During the pregame interview, Poles admitted to ESPN 1000 that training camp issues had contributed to the Bears’ slow starts.
Bears GM Ryan Poles on the lack of quick starts:
“Some of it stems back to training camp… things not addressed."
Throwing coaches under the bus?
— Dave (@dave_bfr) December 27, 2024
Still, that explanation does little to console fans watching their team endure such a historic collapse.
Belichick contrasted Chicago’s failures with Detroit’s success, praising the Lions for building from the trenches outward.
“Detroit went out and built the offensive line to go with a quarterback and then added the skill players,” he noted, driving home his point about the importance of prioritizing the fundamentals.
For the Bears, Belichick’s critique can’t just be tough love. In fact, as a veteran coach who led the Patriots to its most glorious years, Belichick provided Chicago with a roadmap for escaping mediocrity. Whether they’ll heed it remains to be seen.