No coach in the NFL goes out of his way more to praise opposing teams than Bill Belichick, especially when the New England Patriots are preparing to face them. But on Wednesday, it appears a reporter finally found a line even Belichick is unwilling to cross.
While discussing the ways in which Chicago Bears pass-rusher Khalil Mack can impact a game, Belichick was asked if it’s fair to compare Mack to New York Giants legend Lawrence Taylor. He almost seemed offended.
One highlight of Bill Belichick presser: When asked if Khalil Mack is up there with Lawrence Taylor, Belichick almost seemed offended by the question. “Wait a minute, we’re talking about Lawrence Taylor now,” he said. “I’m not putting anybody in Lawrence Taylor’s class.” pic.twitter.com/IPR38s4Ftj
— Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) October 17, 2018
Belichick was an assistant coach with the Giants for the majority of Taylor’s Hall of Fame career, so you can understand why he puts him in a class of his own. That said, if you dig back several years you’ll find that there was at least one player Belichick was willing to compare to LT, so maybe Mack just hasn’t played long enough yet.
Whether he considers Mack as dominant as Taylor or not, you can bet figuring out how to stop the Bears star will be a point of emphasis for the Patriots this week.
