Bills head coach Sean McDermott and some players on the team thought that Patriots cornerback Jonathan Jones should have been ejected from Sunday’s game for a hit to the head of Bills quarterback Josh Allen.
Jones was penalized for the hit, which forced Allen out of the game, but NFL senior vice president of officiating Al Riveron told a pool reporter that the hit did not “rise to the level” despite clear contact to the helmet. On Monday, Patriots head coach Bill Belichick was asked about the hit on a conference call.
Belichick said Jones didn’t lead with his head, which turned after the impact, and had the right posture for the hit. He said the team will continue to coach players based on what they hear from Riveron and the league office.
“When there isn’t really much you can tell them to do differently, you don’t tell them anything,” Belichick said, via Phil Perry of NBCSportsBoston.com.
Allen was running the ball at the time of the hit and Tom Brady recounted some advice he got from Belichick after another game in Buffalo early in his career. Brady lost his helmet while taking a huge hit from Bills cornerback Nate Clements and then got a tip from the head coach.
“I remember the next day, coach Belichick said to me, and I will never forget this, he said, ‘Hey Brady, if you want to have a career in this league, when you’re running like that you either throw the ball away or slide.’ I will never forget coach Belichick telling me that,” Brady said on WEEI.
Allen is in the concussion protocol and Matt Barkley will quarterback the Bills if he’s unable to get cleared in time for Week Five.