Danny Amendola Speaks About Leaving the Patriots
Via Boston HeraldMike Reiss had a one-on-one exclusive with former Patriot Danny Amendola. In the interview Amendola stated how playing for Bill Belichick is hard, and also the Patriots’ offer wasn’t even close. Last season, Danny Amendola was Tom Brady’s go-to receiver because Julian Edelman was out for the season. Danny was really a great factor in the playoffs, getting the nickname Danny ‘Playoff’ Amendola. In the interview, Amendola also talked about the Malcolm Butler being benched in the Super Bowl. Amendola and the rest of the team thinks Butler’s presence would’ve changed the outcome of the game.
Amendola’s words to Mike Reiss were starting with talking about his contract. “When free agency broke, I came to the realization that he wasn’t going to really come close to any of the other offers I had. I had to make a decision for my family and go down to Miami and continue my career there.” Amendola signed a two-year, $12 million deal. That includes an $8.25 million in bonuses and guarantees. It’s also not easy playing for Belichick who learned from Bill Parcells.
Bill Belichick Can Be an A-hole
Via Clutch PointsAmendola said “It’s not easy, that’s for sure. He’s an a–h— sometimes. There were a lot of things I didn’t like about playing for him, but I must say, the things I didn’t like were all in regards to getting the team better, and I respected him. I didn’t like practicing in the snow, I didn’t like practicing in the rain, but that was going to make us a better football team and that was going to make me a better football player. It wasn’t easy, and he’d be the first to admit, at the [Super Bowl] ring ceremony, that it wasn’t easy playing for him. The silver lining was that we were at the ring ceremony.”
The Malcolm Butler Benching Didn’t Sit Well with the Players
Via SI.comThe take about Malcolm Butler from Amendola is pretty much what every player on that team is thinking. Nobody liked the benching. Amendola said “Yeah, I did, honestly. Nobody really got an explanation for it. He’s a brother of ours. He was a brother of ours that year. And I hate to see a guy who worked so hard throughout the season not get a chance to play in the biggest game of the year and really get no explanation for it. With that said, I don’t know how the business aspect went into that decision. I don’t know how the personal aspect went into that decision between him and Bill. But as a friend, I would have loved to see him on the field that day.”
So there you have it. Players are upset Butler didn’t play in the most important game of the season. If Butler didn’t miss the team plane and had a good week in practice, he would’ve played.
All in all what Amendola said about Belichick is accurate. He runs a tight ship and wants his players to follow. You don’t like the rules in his mind you can leave and go to a 4-12 team. Meanwhile, he’s got championships to back up his toughness.
