Iconic New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick suggests a unique facet of life in the region is why the team has often failed to land stars in free agency.
The Patriots brand is one of the most notable in the NFL. It is what comes with making eight trips to the Super Bowl over 20 years. And a massive part of the franchise’s success in that time is legendary coach Bill Belichick.
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Due to the team’s incomparable success in the 21st century, Patriots owner Robert Kraft gave Belichick the rare power to not only coach the team but also mold its roster. During his run overseeing personnel moves, Belichick seemingly preferred to build through the draft, instead of acquiring impact veterans on the free-agent market.
However, it looks like the legendary coach did pursue notable free agents over the years, but there was a consistent regional hindrance that swayed stars away from joining the club. He believes that same reason factored into the New England Patriots striking out in free agency this spring despite having the most available cap space in the league.
Bill Belichick record: 302-165
Are regional taxes a constant problem for New England Patriots’ free-agent pursuits?
“That’s Taxachusetts,” Belichick said during a Monday appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show.” “Virtually every player, even the practice squad, even the minimum players are pretty close to [making] $1 million. Once you hit the $1 million threshold, you pay more state tax in Massachusetts.
“Just another thing you’ve got to contend with in negotiations up there,” he added. “It’s not like Tennessee or Florida or Nevada. Some of these teams have no state income tax. You get hit pretty hard on that with the agents.”
The Patriots’ damaged brand from two awful seasons likely also factored into the team not getting any big free agents this offseason. However, it may explain why the team didn’t add more big-name players while he oversaw the franchise’s personnel decisions.
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