Of late, the term “game manager” has been thrown around a lot. For the new generation of fans, a pragmatic approach that a game manager embodies is too boring and unappealing. Everyone wants a game changer, someone who can change the trajectory of a losing bid.
Advertisement
But for the older school NFL connoisseurs, this negativity is baffling. Bill Belichick, for one, also can’t make sense of the negative notion attached to being a “game manager”.
In his latest appearance at “The Pat McAfee Show”, the legendary Patriots coach was asked his thoughts on being a “game manager”. For the Croatian, the debate is meaningless because his objective is clear – the game is played to win:
“The idea is to win the game and if you have to win the game by putting the defense in a good position, then let them win. Whether it’s Peyton, Drew Brees, Rodgers, Mahomes, or Brady… like those guys are all great quarterbacks but the reason why they won is because they figured out what they needed to do to win.”
Being a serial winner, Bill Belichick is the embodiment of prioritizing winning over everything. So for him, it doesn’t matter if the QB is not on the offensive and instead playing it safe by arranging the defense.
Winning is all that matters and if the game dynamics demand it, a QB being flexible enough to be a game manager mid-game is the most ideal trait for him.
Interestingly, this was a point that even Tom Brady made during his broadcasting debut in Week 1. Belichick, upon being made aware of this fact, expressed pride that his teachings remained with the GOAT. The legendary NFL HC quickly admitted that he learned a lot from Tom as well.
Belichick’s learnings about game management
In a mark of utmost humility and respect, Bill Belichick told Pat McAfee and AJ that he has learnt a fair deal from Tom Brady than given him back. For the coach, the reason was simple – he saw the game from the sidelines while Brady had the perspective right from the field.
This positional insight was massive for his reading of the game and thus he credited his former protege for teaching him a lot about the game.
Another role that Brady played as a QB was to be Belichick’s informer from the field. For instance, any time the GOAT would overhear a relevant comment passed between the opposition, Brady would be the first to let this intel reach Belichick.
Belichick further revealed that the seven-time Super Bowl winner was an excellent reader of body language. So he was the first to know if an opposition player was nervous, helping Belichick set up plays that targeted the particular player.
If the most successful QB-HC duo of the league have expressed their favor for the game changer style of play, surely we need to rethink our ideas of the same.
