The New England Patriots had such a poor season last year that they decided to fire Bill Belichick, who had won six Super Bowls with the team. The Seattle Seahawks also struggled and decided to let go of Pete Carroll, the only coach who had ever led them to an NFL title.
This Sunday night, one of these teams will end up with a 2-0 record.
“You see the direction that we’re trying to go, you see what happens when you do follow the process, and you do buy into the plan,” Patriots quarterback Jacoby Brissett said this week. “Some days … you’re not going to get the results you want. But I think it’s even more apparent after you do get those results.”
The Seahawks and Patriots have both dropped significantly since their game in Super Bowl 49, when Malcolm Butler intercepted a pass from Russell Wilson at the goal line and Tom Brady ran out the clock to secure another championship for New England.
Wilson is now on his third team, serving as a backup in Pittsburgh after two unsuccessful years in Denver. Butler has retired but will join 20 former teammates on Sunday to celebrate the 10th anniversary of their 2014 title.
Belichick and Carroll are no longer coaching after they couldn’t bring back their past success with new quarterbacks. While the entire 2014 team was invited to the celebration, Belichick and Brady are not expected to attend.
“While some prominent members of that 2014 team now have broadcasting obligations and are unable to attend, nearly half of the team will be in attendance,” the Patriots said.
The two oldest head coaches in the league were replaced by the two youngest: Former Patriots linebacker Jerod Mayo took over for New England, and Seattle hired former Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald.
“I think Coach Mayo and I would agree that this game is not about us. It’s not,” Macdonald said. “It’s about our guys going out and playing and making the plays that it’s going to take to win the game.
Our age really has nothing to do with what’s about to happen on Sunday.” Both new coaches won their first games.
