Tag: Rob Ninkovich

Rob Ninkovich has concerns with Patriots’ lack of offensive identity

Rob Ninkovich has doubts about the Patriots’ 2022 offense.

Former New England Patriots linebacker Rob Ninkovich is concerned about the team’s offense heading into the 2022 season.

Much of the concern has been centered around New England not naming an offensive coordinator. Matt Patricia and Joe Judge have taken turns in trying to conduct the offense. The Patriots dedicated extensive preseason work to trying out the new offensive system. Now, they will have to test it in real time, as they prepare for the Miami Dolphins.

Ninkovich appeared on ESPN’s “Get Up!” on Tuesday with questions as to whether the offensive style will work for the 2022 season.

“Now you have a new coordinator, you have question marks on who’s calling the plays — it’s not out there, but we know — you have an offensive line that’s trying to adapt to a new system,” said Ninkovich, via Boston.com. “With those things in place when you watch this last preseason game, you kind of want things to be rolling in a good way, as opposed to playing poorly in your last preseason game.

“In the past, September, yes there’s always going to be some changes that are going to happen in the first couple weeks of the season. You’re trying to adapt your team, your roster, manipulate your roster to help yourself. But with not having an identity, I think that’s going to be their biggest obstacle, trying to figure out what are we offensively right now? What are we trying to do?”

New England does not have the benefit of being able to ease into things, either. Following the trip to Miami, they take on the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens as they make their way through the AFC North.

The new offensive system will be put to the test, as the Patriots try to keep pace with the Buffalo Bills in the AFC East. There could be some growing pains early on, as the team tries to adjust to the new system and personnel.

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Rob Ninkovich wouldn’t be surprised if Tom Brady retires following this season

Will the 44-year-old finally end his playing career in the NFL?

Tom Brady has spent over two decades in the NFL.

The 44-year-old played 20 years with the New England Patriots and he’s now in his second season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Brady won six Super Bowls with the Patriots and he walked away with another Lombardi Trophy after his first season in Tampa — he’s currently making his second playoff run with the team in as many seasons.

Brady has all the accolades and records to prove he’s the greatest NFL player ever. He has the most success by any player in league history and it isn’t close. Also, at the age of 44 — Brady threw for 5,316 yards and 43 touchdowns.

These reasons lead Rob Ninkovich to believe that Brady could retire after this season.

“It wouldn’t surprise me if Tom Brady decided to walk away (this offseason) and do whatever he wants to do,” Ninkovich said Wednesday on ESPN’s “Get Up!” “Right now, Tom is in bonus time. How many 44-year-old quarterbacks have we seen throw for the amount of yards and touchdowns (he has)? He’ll be 45 in August. So, at this point right now, what else does he have to prove to anybody? What else does he have to check off the list?”

For now, Brady is focused on the Los Angeles Rams in the divisional round of the playoffs.

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Rob Ninkovich rips into Bills’ coaching staff after loss to Patriots

Rob Ninkovich did not hold back on the Buffalo Bills.

Former New England Patriots linebacker and current ESPN analyst Rob Ninkovich had nothing but criticism for Buffalo Bills coach Sean McDermott after a brutal loss in Week 13,

The Patriots ran the football to the tune of 222 rushing yards, while relying on the defense to stop a Buffalo offense full of playmakers. Coach Bill Belichick adjusted accordingly, while on the other sideline, Buffalo could not seem to make adjustments of their own.

Appearing on ESPN’s Get Up Wednesday, Ninkovich called out McDermott for his in-game decision-making and his postgame comments where he downplayed Belichick’s impact on the game. As transcribed by Adam London of NESN.com, Ninkovich was clearly bewildered:

“Their mind is gone,” Ninkovich said on ESPN’s “Get Up.” “They’re not going to win this next game. It’s over with. What are we doing? What are we doing, head coach? C’mon. What are we paying you — I don’t know. A lot of money. These head coaches, I’ll let ya. Let’s challenge another QB sneak and see if we get the turn. Like, what are we doing? How about I question your playcalling? How about I question a lot of things you did? Yeah, let’s challenge a muddle of a first down by the Patriots to see if they didn’t get the first down. That’s a terrible challenge. The head coach messed up. Give Bill the credit. He actually told you what he was going to do all day. OK, we’ll run the ball. Can you stop us? No. Guess what? In Foxboro? One hundred to nothing.”

The Patriots and the Bills will meet again on December 26. Depending on the outcome of these next couple of weeks, it could be a big matchup, with playoff pictures coming into focus.

Buffalo will take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Carolina Panthers on December 12 and 19th. New England has a bye week before taking on the Indianapolis Colts on Saturday, December 18. Depending on how those games go, there could be a lot on the line when the two teams meet at Gillette Stadium.

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Rob Ninkovich’s ‘playbook’ comment didn’t sit well with Cam Newton

“And that’s why I would just say what can he teach me when it’s coming at him faster than it was coming at me?”

Rob Ninkovich made a bold claim by reporting that Mac Jones was teaching Cam Newton the New England Patriots’ playbook.

It sounded difficult to believe considering Newton’s time with the Patriots in 2020 and Jones’ focus on learning the playbook himself ahead of his rookie year. Newton, in a tell-all video that was released on Friday, discussed a slew of different topics following his time with the team — including Ninkovich’s report.

Newton’s father, Cecil, asked him if Jones was teaching him.

“No,” Newton said, transcribed by NESN’s Zack Cox. “How can he teach me?”

Newton began by running through the speculation and rumors that spread through the entirety of last year and this offseason.

“Take it for what it’s worth. I didn’t play good last year. I was inaccurate. I didn’t know the playbook. They had to dumb it down. Cam and Josh weren’t meshing. Bill (Belichick) didn’t like Cam. Whatever. Whatever a pundit may say. But what can Mac teach me? That’s what I’m trying to (say). Come on now. … And I like (Jones).”

He did admit the playbook was different than what he was used to, but Jones wasn’t the one teaching him it.

“Nah. If anything, I was — I was like, ‘Josh, it’s so new to me.’ I’ve never been in a system that required me to know where the Mike (linebacker) is, to know the front, to identify certain fronts and XYZ,” Newton said. “You can’t say that that’s stupid or ‘Why wouldn’t you know that?’ because half of the NFL — I would say 30 teams out of 32 teams don’t run this philosophy. It’s in the center’s call, because they control the protection, and if you have any type of red flag or an alert, then that’s when you kind of (say), ‘Whoa, whoa, whoa. Hey, Lucy this. Ricky to 50.’ You know what I’m saying? Something like that.

“But as far as that? No. Mac was cool, man. He was a person who was young. He was still trying to find his way. And that’s why I would just say what can he teach me when it’s coming at him faster than it was coming at me? I would always ask Mac, and we were helping each other. It’s like, ‘You straight, bro?’ And I would go to (Brian Hoyer) and be like, ‘Bro, you seeing something that I didn’t see?’ or ‘What was the Mike?’ or XYZ. And then me and Josh had a great dialogue after practice or during practice where he would tell me. But I felt heads and toes above where I was understanding (the offense) 12 months ago. Without a doubt.”

Newton, 32, is now a free agent in search of his next team.

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Rob Ninkovich says Mac Jones was teaching Cam Newton the Patriots’ playbook

Different potential reasons for Cam Newton’s release continue to trickle in.

Cam Newton’s release from the New England Patriots was a surprise to many.

The 32-year-old started in all three preseason games and Bill Belichick was clear in naming him the starter when Mac Jones was drafted with the No. 15 pick. Obviously, Jones surpassed all expectations and won the job with stellar and consistent performances throughout both training camp and the preseason.

Jones’ quick understanding of the Patriots’ playbook may have been a key factor in his rapid growth — while also hurting Newton’s chances for the starting role. According to Rob Ninkovich on The Dan and Ninko podcast, Jones was helping Newton with the playbook.

“From everything that I understand now, Mac was basically helping Cam learn the playbook,” he said. “So, imagine that. Learn that. Learn that right now. Absorb it. Learn it. Because Mac was having less M.E.’s — mental errors, that is what M.E. is in football, mental errors. He was having less mental errors in having a better understanding of the offense. We didn’t see Cam run any two-minute. We didn’t see him run any no-huddle. … You have to run no-huddle. That’s vital.”

It’s hard to pinpoint this as the reason for Newton’s release, but it could’ve played a factor if it’s entirely accurate. Newton’s vaccination status, his age and a myriad of other factors were all considered while trying to understand the reason of his release.

Regardless, Jones is the Patriots’ starting quarterback now and he’ll quickly get a taste of the NFL pace.

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Rob Ninkovich makes bold prediction about Patriots’ 2021 win total

Rob Ninkovich has high expectations for the Patriots in 2021.

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With the New England Patriots looking to bounce back from a difficult 2020 season, one former member is making a prediction as to how the team will do this year.

Former Patriots linebacker Rob Ninkovich offered up his prediction on Get Up! Thursday. He believes that because of all the new offseason additions, New England will have a greater chance of success for 2021. With a retooled offensive line and a complete overhaul of the tight end position, things could indeed look different for New England in 2021.

In the meantime, Ninkovich is going with a high win total for the Patriots, in a complete turnaround from last year.

“Well, with them spending about $200 million in free agency, I think that they’re going to have a successful year,” Ninkovich said. “I’m going with 11 wins. They’re going to be 11-6. They’re going to be right back in the mix for the division. I think they might split between Miami and Buffalo. They’re going to have a couple rough games on the road, going out to LA. So, I’m going 11-6 for the Patriots.”

With a tight AFC East division very much apparent, New England will certainly have its work cut out for them. After a subpar 2020 season, it’s refreshing to some to hear optimism.

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Former NFL linebacker says he’d ‘throw around’ Tebow as a tight end

Former Patriots linebacker Rob Ninkovich said he would throw Tebow around at tight end now despite being four years removed from playing.

The news that the Jacksonville Jaguars are expected to sign former quarterback Tim Tebow as a tight end wasn’t just a surprise for many fans around the league. Several players, both current and former, have also spoken out about it, and many of them have been critical of Tebow and the Jags.

One of those players is former New England Patriots linebacker Rob Ninkovich. He sacked Tebow 1.5 times in the Broncos’ playoff loss to New England in 2012, and even four years out of the league, Ninkovich seems to think he could still do the same with Tebow at tight end, according to his comments on ESPN’s “Get Up!”

“No. No,” Ninkovich said when asked by show host Mike Greenberg if he believes Tebow will be on the Jaguars’ 53-man roster come Week 1. “Honestly, I look at this: if you threw a helmet and shoulder pads on me, and I haven’t played in four years, I would be able to throw around Tim Tebow as a tight end. Listen, listen, you can’t just go from quarterback to a tight end.

“You can’t do it. There’s guys on rosters, and this is one of the issues that I have with the whole thing. There’s some kid that’s coming out of college that wants an opportunity and wants just to have that roster spot to go out and have the opportunity to possibly make a team. Tim Tebow has had that opportunity in the NFL. He’s had his opportunity in the NFL. He was a quarterback — it didn’t last very long. Then he wanted to go play baseball — OK. Go play baseball. It didn’t work out in baseball.”

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That’s a fair criticism from Ninkovich, as it’s hard to argue that the recurring interest in Tebow is based on merit rather than his fame. But Ninkovich feels very confident that Tebow will be “exposed” playing tight end in the NFL.

“So now his relationship with Urban Meyer gives him another chance to go play football,” he said. “But it’s not like that in football, and this is one reason I love football and I fell in love with the game, you can’t hide. You can’t hide in football. You can’t go out in left field and just go somewhere. When you’re on that field and you put pads on, you’re exposed. That’s why I love the game. When you put pads on and someone’s talking, you say ‘Alright, let’s put pads on. Let’s see who’s the tougher guy.’ You can see the people who can play. You can see it with your eyes. The film doesn’t lie. The eye in the sky — you should say ‘the eye in the sky don’t lie.’ Because once that film is on, you’re going to be exposed.

“For me, I just don’t think mentally as a quarterback going to a physical position where you have to block and go against big men that he’ll be able to do that.”

Ninkovich is far from the only person voicing these opinions, but only time will tell if Tebow can successfully make the switch. His odds of making the 53-man roster are slim, but if he does, expect NFL linebackers to try to light him up if given the chance.

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Rob Ninkovich expects Patriots to trade up for a QB in 2021 draft

Rob Ninkovich thinks the Patriots need to focus on a certain position in the first round.

With the NFL draft a little more than a week away, there have been some intriguing theories in regards to what the New England Patriots will do. With a deep draft class and a bunch of needs, this could be the perfect storm for New England. Ex-Patriot Rob Ninkovich has a theory of his own in regards to what the Patriots will do on draft day.

Appearing on ESPN’s Get Up on Wednesday, the linebacker indicated that he expects New England will move up in the draft for a quarterback.

Ninkovich believes that if the Patriots do not do so, they will be an average team for the 2021 season.

“They need to get a quarterback,” Ninkovich added Wednesday on ESPN’s “Get Up,” as transcribed by ESPN. “If they do not address the quarterback issue, they’re going to have another tough year. They’re going to be average if they go with Cam Newton.

“I expect them to move up. It’s been an unprecedented, weird offseason for (Belichick) anyway. We’ve never seen the Patriots go out and spend the money that they have in free agency. And if they don’t get a quarterback, they’re not answering any of the questions of their future at that position.”

With New England attending several quarterback pro days over the past couple of weeks, drafting at the position is not out of the question. The pre-draft scouting at the position could indicate that they are planning for the future there.

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Rob Ninkovich details why the Patriots didn’t win the Super Bowl in 2007

If it wasn’t for this, Tom Brady could potentially have seven rings to show off.

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Everyone who watched football thought the New England Patriots would win the Super Bowl in 2007.

Tom Brady was in his prime and the addition of Randy Moss helped cultivate one of the most potent offenses in NFL history. Brady had the regular season record 50 touchdowns and Moss broke the regular season record for receivers with 23 touchdowns. The defense was unreal and everything clicked, except in the Super Bowl to the New York Giants.

There was too much pressure to have the perfect season and the Patriots couldn’t pull it off. After defeating the Baltimore Ravens this week, the Pittsburgh Steelers are heading down the same path. Pittsburgh is 11-0 and they have three formidable teams ahead on the schedule.

According to former Patriots defensive end Rob Ninkovich, the Steelers should lose a game to alleviate pressure in the playoffs.

“I felt that pressure relieve,” Ninkovich said on ESPN’s Get Up. “Because a perfect season doesn’t mean anything unless you win the Super Bowl.

“That 2007 Patriot team, I feel, If they would have lost maybe one game in the regular season and didn’t have that pressure of being perfect going into the playoffs, I think they would have won the Super Bowl.”

That pressure could be daunting for players.

“But they’re starting to creep up into that high-pressure, undefeated season status and at 11-0 it’s gonna start coming on real hard and fast right now.”

With the Cleveland Browns, Indianapolis Colts and Buffalo Bills ahead, it’s hard to imagine a 16-0 finish for Pittsburgh.

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Former Patriots speak in depth about the light-hearted, fun side of Bill Belichick

“Coach is absolutely fantastic – every year during the holidays, he sends us gifts and baskets and really nice chocolates.”

Bill Belichick is infamously known for his monotone voice and harsh demeanor. He’s not the most friendly of coaches when it comes to time with the media and he doesn’t necessarily wear his emotions on his sleeve.

There’s a side to him that the public doesn’t always see and it’s refreshing to know he’s human also. Belichick grew up with a military mentality and it has led to six Super Bowl wins as a head coach and more success than any other coach in NFL history.

NBC Sports Boston’s Tom E. Curran released a new podcast episode titled, ‘The Bill Belichick You Don’t Know’ on Thursday. It features a slew of former Patriots and their own respective stories about Belichick.

These stories were transcribed by Boston.com’s Deyscha Smith.

Rodney Harrison:

“Coach is absolutely fantastic – every year during the holidays, he sends us gifts and baskets and really nice chocolates. He’s an easy-going guy; conversations are always light; he doesn’t really take himself too serious, as much as other people think that he’s this really serious guy; he’s caring; he’s just an open relaxed guy. I got a great relationship with him.”

Charlie Weiss:

“He’s actually very very funny, that would shock the people of New England. He’s got a good sense of humor. It’s just that that’s not him the football coach. That’s him the person, and he’s always been able to divide church and state. I mean this is the same guy that’s close friends with Bon Jovi, he’s the same guy that me and him were at a charity event for my charity and we’re singing background to ‘Wanted Dead Or Alive.’  So, I mean it’s the same guy — there’s him the football coach and there’s him when he’s not the football coach.

“I think that in the world we live in unfortunately, with cell phones and everyone videoing everything you do, you really got to be on your guard to live a more quiet, anonymous type of lifestyle when you’re away from football.”

Rob Ninkovich:

“I think it was 2009, it was my first year there and you have a general idea of Bill as a young guy coming onto the team. There’s a little bit of fear of, ‘You don’t want to get him angry or do you anything [because] you could get cut easily,’ he’s got the power to do all.

The year we played Tennessee … I’m walking out after the game, walking to my truck and all of a sudden, a snowball comes flying in, and I’m like, ‘Who the heck is throwing snowballs?’ And it was Bill throwing snowballs at guys. It was just kind of funny, Bill Belichick throwing snowballs at people. I’m sure he was super pumped because we had won by a lot and it was snowing.

It was just kind of a fun moment where you were like, ‘He’s not so bad…he’s not so bad.’ I threw a snowball back — but it was one of those moments where it was like, make sure you don’t hit him.”

Martellus Bennett:

“For me, Bill [and I] are very cool. It was different, we had a very talkative relationship, I talked to him about a lot of things. There were moments when I was going through something and I needed some advice, and Bill is a guy that I would turn [to] and ask what he thought.

“Bill is a really great, straightforward guy, and that’s what I like about him the most. And he’s really funny. [He’s like] Larry David, like “Curb Your Enthusiasm”…that’s how Bill is. You can’t really explain the humor, you have to be in the room when it happens.”

Matt Cassell:

“I remember one time we’re sitting in the meeting room, and he was critiquing Asante Samuel and he said, ‘Okay!’ That’s it Asante, hit him with a pillow. Let’s throw marshmallows at him sometime.’ There’s that sarcastic, funny humor that a lot of people are scared to death to even smile during those meetings because you’re like, ‘I could be the next one up on that film study.’

“Sometimes you’ll even see him crack a grin after he says something like that.”

Shane Vereen:

“He has such a dry sense of humor and it’s hilarious, he’ll compare plays to funny situations that have nothing to do with football.

“Before we go on long breaks, before we go for summer vacation or after season, he likes to pull up news reports of other NFL players who made poor decisions in the offseason, just a little reminder [and] bug in our ear of what we should not be doing.

“He would go over the reports and he’d have us guess as to what time of the day these things happened, what do [we] think these guys are in the news for, and then he’ll always leave us with, ‘Stay off the [blank], bottom line. Stay off the ticker, the ESPN ticker, that bottom line that goes across your screen.’”

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