If anyone’s gut feeling can be trusted about the New England Patriots’ future, it’s former offensive line coach Dante Scarnecchia.
The 72-year-old spent 34 seasons with the team and officially retired after the 2019 season. He was the longest-tenured Patriots coach and he worked magic with the offensive line, no matter the lack of depth or talent. New England could’ve desperately used him this season to keep things together.
The Patriots finished the year with an underwhelming 7-9 record and it could’ve been much worse without Cam Newton at the helm. New England lost players to opt-outs, free agency and positive COVID cases. Newton was nearly running with a practice squad unit and the future for the Patriots now appears to be bleak. Not to mention, the team lost director of personnel, Nick Caserio, who spent 20 years in the organization.
Can they turn it around going forward?
“I think so,” Scarnecchia said, transcribed by WEEI. “You have an owner that’s driven. He has an amazing way about doing things. Does he know what’s going on? Yes, he knows what’s going on. And I think he, if necessary he will ask the questions and wonder about things. That’s my opinion. I don’t know that. I’ve never seen that conversation between those two, but you have strong ownership and you have an organization that really wants to be successful. Will it get back? Yeah, absolutely it will get back. But, obviously, they have to get some things worked out at certain positions and try to develop a good team. So the stars have to come into alignment to a degree in a lot of areas. Yeah, my hope and all our wishes are our team comes back to a very, very high level.”
Scarnecchia has high hopes. If anyone can fulfill those hopes, it’s Bill Belichick and Robert Kraft. Starting with the quarterback position, there will be many decisions and adjustments to make, but they can be done.
While reflecting on the Patriots’ dynasty, Scarnecchia had modest words.
“I never try to say that that was something special, that it will never be achieved again,” Scarnecchia said. “The world of sports and the world in general is rift with people that thought that and all of the sudden it does happen. I think it’s very hard to do because of all the aforementioned reasons. Those being you better know what you’re doing on the salary cap, you better have sustained great health at that one great position, at quarterback.
“We’ve all seen, and I’m not stabbing at anybody here, how hard it was without Tom this year. And really in fairness to Cam [Newton], how hard it is to come in with no preseason, no OTAs, none of that stuff and then have to come out there and try to do your best. It aint’ easy. That’s a hard position to play. The hardest position in all of sports. The hardest thing in all of sports to do is be an NFL quarterback, I think. And they are hard to come by.”
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