Bill Belichick calls surprising player 'one of the best in the NFL'
Bill Belichick has always loved scouting defensive backs. In fact, his last position coaching role was as a defensive backs coach with the Patriots in 1996.
So it should come as no surprise that if Belichick was to heap praise on any one player, it would likely be a DB.
He did just that during a Friday press conference when he was asked about the versatility of safety Patrick Chung.
“I’ve talked about Chung a lot,” Belichick said. “The guy is a really good football player. He’s one of the best players in the league, one of the best players on our team. He does a lot of things very well and has done them that way for a long time. We’re lucky we have him. He’s an outstanding player in all the things that he does. We put a lot on him, and he always comes through.”
It’s rare to hear Belichick pile that much praise on a player he coaches. When New England signed James Harrison, who’s made five Pro Bowls and won the Defensive Player of the Year award, Belichick had this to say about Harrison:
#Patriots coach Bill Belichick, expansive on new LB James Harrison’s skill set: “He played outside linebacker for the Steelers and we’ll see how it goes.”
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) December 27, 2017
But Chung, who has never made a Pro Bowl and was a part-time starter this year, gets talked up like he’s Eric Berry or Earl Thomas.
Chung is in his second stint with the Patriots after being a second-round pick in 2009. He spent his first four seasons in New England, then went to the Eagles for one season before returning to the Patriots in 2014.
The ninth-year safety has just one interception this year but has been invaluable in the team’s coverage against tight ends. No tight end gained more than 74 receiving yards in any game against New England this year, and a tight end hasn’t scored vs. the Patriots since Week 6.
As happy as Belichick is to have Chung around, the safety is equally happy that Belichick is his head coach. When Chung learned that Belichick said he intends to return in the 2018 season, Chung couldn’t be more excited.
“S—, I’m juiced,” Chung said with a smile. “Keep coming back, man. When he’s done, I’ll be done too.”
Only Tom Brady, Stephen Gostkowski and Matt Slater have spent more time with the Patriots among current players, and Chung has tenure among defensive players. He is under contract through the 2018 season after receiving an extension prior to last season.
No joke, Chung’s one season in Philly was maybe the worst play from a safety I’ve ever seen – just goes to show Belichick is a master of recognizing and understanding a player’s ability and maximizing it by putting him in the best position to thrive
— Dan (@snaxonly) January 20, 2018
Belichick’s love for safeties is nothing new — perhaps his favorite opposing player of all time was also a safety. That player is Ravens great Ed Reed, who some around New England have referred to as a “surrogate son” of the Patriots coach.
“He’s the best weak safety I’ve seen since I’ve been in the National Football League in my career,” Belichick said of Reed in 2012. “He’s outstanding at pretty much everything. … The list goes on and on with him. It’s just a question of pretty much anything he’s out there for, he’s good at.”
It’s one thing to read Belichick’s words about Reed, but it’s another to see and hear them.
“You’re the best free safety that has ever played this game that I’ve seen,” he said. “You’re awesome.”
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