With arguably the greatest sports dynasty ever imploding on itself following the exit of Tom Brady in 2020, March of this year brought us an in-depth documentary series on Apple TV, aptly named The Dynasty. I recently finished watching the 10-part series and wanted to share my thoughts because I thought it presented quite an interesting point of view on the team throughout the last two decades.
No Love for Belichick
It is no secret that the future Hall of Fame coach does not have a way with words. Throughout his career, he has had a very gruff manner and rarely answers the burning questions of reporters who attend his press conferences. This series featured quite a few interview segments to get first-hand accounts of many of the events that transpired during the Patriots’ reign. Unsurprisingly, Belichick offered next to no clarification on any of his actions or decisions that people had questions about. Belichick’s failure to answer questions would normally not be cause to change your opinion of him, but I found that his lack of clarification on certain events coupled with the testimony of players and Robert Kraft (the Patriots owner), painted Belichick in a very negative light.
I felt that this documentary gave Belichick a great opportunity to explain and defend himself when asked the hard-hitting questions. People are dying to know whether or not Spygate was an attempt to cheat or an honest mistake; others are curious as to why Malcolm Butler was benched in a Super Bowl with no explanation. As the head coach, Belichick was at the forefront of these decisions, and with no context provided from him, we can only pass judgment based on what the people who were close to him said about him. Many of these accounts sound like Belichick had no love for his players, did not care about what somebody had done in the past, and put his own prejudices before the success of the team. Especially in the case of Malcolm Butler’s benching, it seems as though Belichick had a personal issue with the talented cornerback, which led to him not playing in the most important game of the season.
This documentary made me question my opinion on Bill Belichick, and I feel as though some of his accomplishments have been tainted by the content of the series. I was not expecting to have such a change of perspective when I started watching the first episode, but I think it is important to judge people on their character rather than their accomplishments. Previously, I thought Belichick was the greatest coach of all time and could do no wrong. Do I still think he is the greatest coach of all time? Absolutely. Do I think he is a good person? Now I’m not so sure.
Overall I thought this series was incredibly well-made, and it did not sugarcoat any of the more scandalous events that happened over the past two decades. I always appreciate an unbiased view, and the highs and lows of the Patriots’ dynasty were very well executed and I love the first-hand accounts of former players, coaches, and other members of the organization. The Dynasty is a must-watch for any sports fan, and I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to learn more about the rise and fall of the New England Patriots.