The Patriots come across as a serious bunch. So what exactly is going on in New England this week?
We caught word that coach Bill Belichickcancelled the team's Thursday minicamp practice. The Boston Herald reported it was the first time Belichick has ever axed a mandatory session.
As players depart into the wild for what amounts to a brief summer break before training camp, we can imagine this roster spending long nights tucked inside their playbooks. Right?
Wrong.
The Patriots will leave the facility without them, according to the Herald.
Actually, the Patriots aren't doing anything too unusual here.
"We'll make some revisions to it based on some of the things that happened over the weeks," Belichick said. "We'll make some modifications to it. The way the playbook is set up, it kind of changes every camp anyway because of the installation schedule."
We thought we'd stumbled upon some loose, new-age approach to the offseason in New England. Not the case. Not even close.