One of the worst-kept secrets in the NFL is the disdain most teams and their owners have for the New England Patriots and Bill Belichick for the 20 years they reigned over the league, which included six Super Bowl wins in nine appearances. It was bad enough that players like Adam Vinatieri and Rodney Harrison have yet to have their names added to the Hall, but now the same can be said of Belichick, who will not be a first-ballot Hall of Famer in 2026.
No, ESPN does not hate the Patriots. Wait, check that for a second. Rex Ryan definitely hates the Patriots. Give him some grace on that. The man coached the Jets for six years. You have no idea what that does to the soul. Some might also add Cam Newton to the Patriot Haters Club, since he seems to have a terrible take on something going on in Foxborough every time he appears on "First Take" or its ilk.
After being selected by the Patriots in the sixth round of the 2023 NFL Draft, he would catch just two balls during his rookie year. He was quiet for the bulk of his sophomore campaign as well until he averaged 80 yards across his last three games, including a 117-yard performance in Week 18. Across his first 12 games that season, he'd average just 23.3 yards per game.