When you hear people say Bill Belichick prepares his team for everything, they’re apparently not kidding.
NFL fans learned of a seemingly little-known rule Monday night late in the Seattle Seahawks’ win over the Detroit Lions on “Monday Night Football.” Kam Chancellor made a savvy play as he chased down Detroit Lions wide receiver Calvin Johnson, forcing a fumble at the 1-yard line. Seahawks linebacker K.J. Wright followed the play and seemed to alertly punch the ball out of the back of the endzone.
The problem with that, of course, is that Wright’s play was illegal. The even bigger problem, at least for the Lions, is that the referees on the field incorrectly ruled the play a touchback when the Lions actually should have gotten the ball back inside the 1 with a chance to win.
The NFL obviously screwed up. One team that wouldn’t put itself in the position to be batting balls through the endzone, however, is the Patriots. Former Patriots linebacker Rosevelt Colvin tweeted shortly after the play that Belichick actually had the Patriots practice similar situations.
I PROMISE YOU BILL BELICHECK KNOWS THAT RULE…CAUSE WE PRACTICED IT IN OUR SITUATIONAL PRACTICES… #wedabest #chesswhileyouplaycheckers
— Rosevelt Colvin (@rcolvin3) October 6, 2015
That takes preparation to an entirely different level.
@SteveeOC @SteveeOC nope but we practiced how and when to bat a ball #bang
— Rosevelt Colvin (@rcolvin3) October 6, 2015
And if for some reason you think he’s lying, Colvin tweeted this as the play happened.
WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT….LET THE BALL GO IN THE END ZONE SON!! #badfootball
— Rosevelt Colvin (@rcolvin3) October 6, 2015
One would imagine the Patriots (and probably the rest of the NFL) will revisit this rule ahead of Week 5.
Thumbnail photo via Stew Milne/USA TODAY Sports Images
