Bill Belichick questions why TY Hilton wasn’t dropped from Patriots-Colts game for official contact
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – New England Patriots Coach Bill Belichick said Monday that Indianapolis Colts receiver TY Hilton should have been sent off Saturday’s game for pushing an official to the ground, and questioned the NFL’s executive department why he wasn’t.
Belichick spoke for the first time since the opportunity to evaluate his team 27-17 lost to the Colts, and was asked about third quarter forecast safe for patriots Kyle Dugger and Colts . receiver Michael Pittman Jr..
Dugger and Pittman dropped out after a run, and it quickly turned into an even bigger argument. As order was trying to be restored, Hilton was seen pushing referee Tra Blake to the ground.
Belichick seemed furious about it when Dugger and Pittman were pushed out.
“The bottom line is that both players are out. I’ll say I understand that. Whether I agree with that or not, that’s a completely different discussion. [But] I don’t understand why TY Hilton wasn’t fired for contacting an official. Intentionally or unintentionally, that has nothing to do with the play. And those plays are reviewable and revisited,” he said.
“You have to talk to the officials about that. They’re the ones who made the call.”
In 2018, the NFL instituted a rule change that would allow the league’s command center in New York to expel a player for a non-football behavior such as punching or fighting.
Belichick’s fury appeared to be directed at the command center reviewing video of the Dugger/Pittman brawl on Saturday night to aid referee Carl Cheffers’ decision-making process and not take action like So with Hilton, the Colts’ No. 2 receiver, who then made a 19-yard catch.
“Based on the rules, I don’t understand why TY Hilton wasn’t fired. I mean, he pushed an official. That’s pretty obvious. But that’s not called out at all. It’s a denial. obvious to me,” he said.
Belichick said he spoke regularly with his players about situations similar to what happened with Dugger and Pittman.
As for what led to both being ejected after running back 7 yards Jonathan Taylor, Belichick shares his views on what happened.
Belichick said: “Pittman came in from behind, Kyle turned around, there was an exchange. “Pittman’s helmet came off, he was trying to put it on when he got close to Kyle at the end of the play. So it popped off pretty quickly; I don’t know if Kyle kicked it off or it did. will fall off, or whatever.”
One detail Belichick didn’t include in his explanation was the Patriots’ pawn Kyle Van Noy shoved Pittman from behind, which further escalated the already tense situation.
As is the case with each play in each match, the federation will review it and determine if any players will be penalized.
Meanwhile, Belichick opened his Monday morning video conference with a surprise: An apology for his post-game press conference late Saturday night.
Belichick filled out the questions for more than six minutes that night, but repeated a version of the same answer to many questions – either that the team wasn’t playing or the coach wasn’t good enough.
“I’ve said it five times. I can only say it five more times – we didn’t do anything good enough to win tonight,” he said.
On Monday morning, Belichick asked the opening question during his video conference, which he opened with a comment instead.
“I apologize if it seemed like I was a bit off with you guys after the game,” he said. “Obviously a nasty game. Down 20-0. Didn’t do a good job. I mean, there wasn’t much to say at the time without watching the movie.
“Obviously we have problems in every area. So there is no simple answer. Every game can be better. Every area of coaching can be better. Every area of play can be good. more. Any of that helps. Not really trying. To be brief, but to be honest, there isn’t too much to say. I don’t know now that there’s more to say. But that’s it. It’s not your fault. It was a nasty match.”
