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Bill Belichick barely was willing to acknowledge the Patriots after their Week 1 road win over the Cincinnati Bengals.
That changed in Week 2, but the spotlight had nothing to do with Jerod Mayo's group.
There was no shortage of pomp and circumstance at Gillette Stadium on Sunday when New England took the field for its home opener. Malcolm Butler kicked things off as the "Keeper of the Light" before kickoff, and he was joined by a slew of his Super Bowl XLIX-winning teammates for a 10-year anniversary celebration of the 2014 Patriots.
Belichick could not attend the festivities in Foxboro, Mass., due to his media obligations, but he did pass along a message to the memorable squad via Instagram.
"Congratulations to every player, coach, and support staff member on our incredible 2014 team," the post read. "You did everything at a championship level -- little things on a daily basis which nobody outside of us saw, and big things, legendary things under pressure for the world to see. The playoffs were unforgettable -- down 14 points twice to the Ravens -- a total domination of the Colts -- and a heart-stopping win in Arizona against the defending SB champs. I am forever grateful for the great team effort, and to all the Patriots fans who supported with such enthusiasm. We all shared a magical ride together."
Perhaps Belichick will be in attendance at Gillette Stadium in two years when New England celebrates the decade anniversary of its iconic Super Bowl LI win over the Atlanta Falcons. Then again, the future Hall of Famer very well could have a new head-coaching job by then.
