Patriots head coach Bill Belichick's love life should be the last thing on the team's mind right now.
While some NFL teams are getting hyped ahead of the 2023 season, the New England Patriots are getting an extra helping of gossip.
Page Six just reported that Patriots head coach Bill Belichick had an "awkward" breakup with longtime girlfriend Linda Holliday. According to their sources, Belichick and Holliday, who had been together since 2007, were going through "a drawn-out, back-and-forth breakup for nearly a year."
All this just three days before the Patriots are set to honor retired legendary quarterback Tom Brady in their season-opener against the Philadelphia Eagles at Gillette Stadium.
The mass media might be voraciously eating up the juicy gossip, but Belichick and the Pats know they have much, much more pressing concerns to worry about.
Patriots: Bill Belichick's rumored break-up is an unneeded distraction
In the revamped AFC East, the Patriots will find themselves up against three legitimate Super Bowl contenders.
The New York Jets have a renewed -- and urgent -- pep in their step after trading for Aaron Rodgers, stacked from top to bottom with hungry, restless talent. The Miami Dolphins lost out on the veteran running back sweepstakes but still boast a terrifying offense spearheaded by Tua Tagovailoa, Tyreek Hill, and Jaylen Waddle. The Buffalo Bills, once clouded with Stefon Diggs trade speculation, have reconciled with their star wideout and are yet again primed for a deep playoff run.
Then, enter the Patriots, who have Mac Jones and Matt Corral under center (Bailey Zappe floats nearby in limbo) and an underwhelming lack of depth at skill positions. How are they going to improve an offense that averaged just 314.6 yards per game last year, the seventh-worth mark in the league? Was signing JuJu Smith-Schuster and DeVante Parker enough? Can Jones thrive under Bill O'Brien, or will the two butt heads and cause more sideline tantrums?
Unfortunately for the Pats, the latest Bill Belichick gossip doesn't do much to improve the public's perception of the team. Also unfortunately for the Pats, they're looking like easily the worst team in the AFC East right now. No point in sugarcoating what feels like inevitable heartbreak.