Belichick On Cutting Players: 'The Toughest Part Of The Job'
BOSTON (CBS) -- Bill Belichick is not always the most candid man, and that much was clear on Thursday night when he adamantly refused to discuss the Rolling Stone article about Aaron Hernandez. However, in that same press conference, the coach talked openly about the difficult task he and his staff have in the coming two days, when they must trim the roster from 75 players down to 53.
That means making a lot of cuts, and it's a part of the job that Belichick doesn't relish.
"Well this is the toughest part of the job," Belichick, in his 14th season as head coach of the Patriots, said. "We go to camp with 90 guys and we go to 53, so we know we're going to have to tell 37 people that they can't be on the team. That's the math, so it's always hard when guys work hard, do everything you ask them to do, train hard, put forth all the effort they can put forth, and you still have to tell 37 guys that they can't be a part of the team this year."
The Patriots made cuts on Tuesday to get the roster down to 75, but many cuts remain before Saturday's deadline of 6 p.m.
"It's always a tough thing," Belichick said. "Certainly, guys that have been around here and have contributed and have won a lot of games for us, which it seems like there's always a couple of guys in that category every year, but whenever that happens, that's even tougher because of the relationship and what they've done. But we all know it's a competitive game and a competitive league, and that's what we sign up for."
No player has generated more debate locally and nationally regarding his potential roster spot than Tim Tebow. Belichick wouldn't discuss any one player specifically, but he said no player will earn a roster spot without reason.
"Whoever deserves to make it, then those are the guys that we have to keep," Belichick said. "And the guys that don't make it, sometimes it's hard to tell them that, but that's our job."
