NFL Notebook: Current, former Patriots work together to create culture of accountability in Foxborough

In this week’s edition of the NFL Notebook, we look at another great Dante Scarnecchia story, examine how current Patriots are winning hearts and minds across the country, put the talk of Julian Edelman as a possible Hall of Famer under the microscope, and look at the most (and least) productive personnel packages for the Patriots this postseason. But first, the fact the Patriots have now had success spread across multiple decades means there’s a generational culture of accountability where current players feel the need to hit the bar set by their predecessors. It’s created a unique bond between current and former Patriots’ players.

1. I’ve been talking to many ex-Patriots over the last year-plus, and one of the more impressive things that has sprung up around Foxborough over the last few years is a generational culture of accountability that has started to take root.

In Foxborough, there’s always been a nod to the past — current receivers have talked about coaches showing them film of past Patriots like Randy Moss, for example. And there’s always been an active group of former players united by the New England Patriots Alumni Club. But in this case, what I’m talking about is more of an organic element, one that’s been fueled by former players who remind current players that when you put the Patriots’ jersey on, you have an obligation to play a certain way, to live up to the standard of those who have come before. In a small way, it reminds me a little of what happens in Pittsburgh and Dallas, where players are measured not so much against the rest of the league, but against the championship teams of the past that set the stage and created that culture.

Kevin Faulk was at practice a few weeks ago, and spent time talking with Sony Michel and James White. When Faulk spoke with them, their connection was evident.

“They knew exactly what I was talking about,” Faulk recalled. “That bond exists. It’s in us — it’s who we are, not just as running backs but as guys who played for the same franchise. I know what they go through. I know how hard they work, and how much time they spend. You make that connection with them, and that fuels that accountability. You have a bond with another guy who has put on a Patriots’ uniform, and you know they don’t want to let you down.

“It’s definitely a culture of accountability among players for a few reasons, because you know what they’re being told is the same thing that you went through,” he added. “You don’t necessarily know how they’re receiving it, but what they’re being told is the exact same stuff you were being told when you were in that locker room as a player. So when you’re sitting at home, watching a game, you have a pretty good idea of what’s going to happen and how they’ll respond.”

With success now spread across multiple decades, players who are long removed from their playing days in Foxborough still feel a connection to the team and the players. That bond is something Faulk and other former players continue to treasure, and remains an underrated aspect of the success of the franchise.

“I always feel it,” Faulk said. “I got a phone call from a former teammate after the AFC title game, saying, ‘Can you believe it? We did it again.’ We. It’s always there.”

2. So the 2007 Patriots weren’t able to silence Mercury Morris and the 1972 Dolphins. But if it wins the Super Bowl next Sunday, the 2018 team will match that 1972 Miami team when it comes to one notable accomplishment: They’d be the first team since the ’72 Dolphins to lose a Super Bowl and win it all the following season. The Curse of the Super Bowl loser is something we’ve written about on a handful of occasions — just by getting back to the game a year after losing it, New England has accomplished something unique. The Bills of the early 1990s were the last group to get back to the Super Bowl the year after suffering a loss in the Big Game. Since then, no team has been able to return to the Super Bowl the year after losing in the contest. But the 1971 Dolphins lost Super Bowl VI to the Cowboys before polishing off the Redskins in Super Bowl VII. (For what it’s worth, the Cowboys did the same thing the year before, losing Super Bowl V to the Colts before beating the Dolphins the following year.) No Super Bowl loser has done it since. I asked Stephon Gilmore about the chance to make history by winning it all a year after a Super Bowl defeat, and he replied: “I don’t want to feel like that again. To go that far and come up short. … I want to win.”

3. Two notes when it comes to looking ahead — our guy Miguel reminds us the following Patriots are scheduled to become unrestricted free agents on March 13: Stephen Gostkowski, Chris Hogan, Jason McCourty, Cordarrelle Patterson, Malcom Brown, Trey Flowers, Danny Shelton, Ryan Allen, Trent Brown, LaAdrian Waddle, Phillip Dorsett, John Simon, Ulrick John, Albert McClellan, Ramon Humber, Brian Schwenke, Eric Rowe and Jeremy Hill. (Cody Hollister will be an exclusive rights free agent and Jonathan Jones will be a restricted free agent.) And not to put the cart before the horse, but if New England does end up winning the Super Bowl, I’d have to think the networks would prefer to have the Patriots kick off the season at home against the Chiefs. (We already know the list of opponents for 2019 — the dates will come in April.)

4. Got former Patriots offensive lineman Rich Ohrnberger to give me his favorite Dante Scarnecchia story last week. This week, I figured I’d get one from a current member of the Patriots offensive line, Shaq Mason: “Probably before I even got drafted here, when I was in school. He came to my pro day and worked me out. He had me snapping and I was snapping to him and things like that. Then we went in the meeting room and he kind of grilled me about the stuff that we were doing, because a triple-option (offense) and (the Patriots’ offense are) two different things. So he kind of was drawing up stuff that they do here, and I was kind of confused and I could see him getting irritated. It was kind of like I was like, ‘Uh, I don’t know if the Patriots are going to be the spot.’”