The release of the 2020 schedule had Bill Belichick in a customary hoodie. It just wasn't a special enough occasion for NFL draft star Nike the dog to make another cameo.
"I think he's sleeping," Belichick quipped on Thursday's Schedule Release '20 LIVE show. "We went for a little walk today. I think he's sleeping it off. But he's working on the supplemental draft. In case anything comes up in July, we'll be ready to go."
For what it's worth, Belichick still hasn't endorsed a starting quarterback. When Rich Eisen asked how he's preparing for his first season in New England without Tom Brady, the Patriots coach reminded he's managed to get his team ready without TB12 before, notably in 2008 after a season-ending injury in the season opener and for the first four games of 2016.
The Patriots went 13-6 in those contests.
"We'll do what we always do," Belichick said.
The bigger question for now is if there will be any additions to a QB room currently made up of second-year Jarrett Stidham, journeyman Brian Hoyer and undrafted rookies Brian Lewerke and J'Mar Smith.
"That's where we are," Belichick said. "You never know what's going to happen down the road, but we feel like we have four good players there."
They'll need at least one. The Patriots have the toughest strength of schedule in 2020 based on their opponents' 2019 records, a first for New England in the Belichick era.