Bill Belichick Was Called Out by a Former Patriot During His Ugly Sunday

Whether you love him or hate him, Bill Belichick has been largely untouchable for what feels like an eternity. When the New England Patriots were rolling, you couldn't really take issue with the coach's behavior; giving curt press conference answers, for example, pales in comparison to back-to-back Super Bowl titles.

These days, though, things are a bit different. Just ask Adam Butler of the Las Vegas Raiders about that.

With the Patriots struggling, the hoodie-wearing head coach is taking his lumps. After suffering through another tough loss, which highlighted his shortcomings as general manager, Belichick was also called out by one of his former players, for some potential disrespect.

And even if you think that's a nothing burger, it's still emblematic of the current state of affairs.

Let's check it out.

Adam Butler Said Belichick Didn't Acknowledge Him

While it's an old-school sports cliché to say that there are no friends on the football field, things generally soften after the final whistle. It's perfectly common to see hugs, high-fives and even jersey swaps.

On Sunday, though, Raiders defensive lineman Adam Butler was apparently left hanging. Despite starting his career with the Patriots and even earning a Super Bowl ring in Foxborough, he said that Belichick didn't acknowledge him after the Raiders' Week 6 win over New England.

"It did make me feel very upset that Bill didn't even have the respect for me to say anything after the game," he explained in a post-game video shared on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. "Not even congratulate me, tell me 'You look good' or 'You don't look good,' whatever. You know, 'Kiss my ass,' something. But he didn't. Didn't say anything. [I] kinda felt disrespected. Made me feel kinda...bad."

For what it's worth, Jakobi Meyers, who also played for the Patriots, also said that he didn't link up with his former head coach. The receiver, however, wasn't too concerned about that reality.

While Butler acknowledged that saying hello isn't the head coach's top priority, he still felt that some gesture was warranted.

"I know that Coach Belichick has bigger things to worry about, obviously," the Raider added. "They're going through a tough time but I mean. Sheesh. Wave, like, something. But nothing."

Belichick Has Bigger Fish to Fry Right Now

In isolation, Belichick probably isn't going to lose too much sleep over Butler's comments. And it's tough to blame a losing head coach for wanting to get off the field as quickly as possible after another ugly defeat. The criticism, however, is emblematic of a larger issue at hand.

Since the early 2000s, Belichick was larger-than-life. His teams won and, perhaps even more impressively, just kept winning. No matter which player left Foxborough, there was some anonymous name who would appear and step into the breach seamlessly. That was the power of the hoodie and his Patriots way.

Now, though, things are different. The star power is gone and, perhaps more importantly, Belichick hasn't done enough in his role as general manager to restock the cupboard. While you could find proof of that all over the roster—the receivers' room and the team's draft selections have been especially problematic—but the Patriots' quarterback situation is a striking example.

To be clear, replacing Tom Brady is an impossible task. New England, however, had two legitimate backup options in Jacoby Brissett and Jimmy Garoppolo, and moved both of them. Jarrett Stidham wasn't good enough, and the Cam Newton experiment failed. Now, Mac Jones is in his third season under center; he's struggling, but there's no other option.

Again, finding a quarterback is hard, especially when you're used to having the best of the best on your team. Roster management, however, is Belichick's job. And you have to get that position right, whether it's through the draft, a trade or free agency.

And that poor roster management is coming home to roost. The Patriots are sitting at 1-5. Belichick suffered a 38-3 loss in Week 4, which was the worst point-differential of his career. The following week, his team laid an egg in historic fashion, falling 34-0 at home the Saints.

Belichick's teams were defined by their uncanny ability to do the right thing at the right time. Now, they're giving up safeties to seal defeats. The roster reflects poorly on Belichick the general manager; the on-field performances reflect on Belichick the coach. Execution and motivation were previously the minimum expectations; now the standards have slipped.

Even if you want to blame the men who have called the offensive plays, the bench boss has hired them and previously said that he should be blamed if the Joe Judge/Matt Patricia duo failed. Thus far, Bill O'Brien has failed, too, so it's reasonable to look at the man who brought him back to New England.

In that context, it's easy to get called out for things that would previously be overlooked, like failing to say hello to an old player after the final whistle. When push comes to shove, Belichick's behavior toward Butler doesn't really matter. At the same time, though, it's emblematic of how far the Patriots and their head coach have fallen from grace.

As the cliché says, winning can cover up plenty of problems. And, as unbelievable as it may feel to say, Belichick simply isn't winning anymore.