'That's Taxachusetts': Coach Bill Belichick says Massachusetts' millionaire tax makes it harder to negotiate contracts



Legendary NFL head coach Bill Belichick commented on how nearly all NFL players who come to the New England Patriots are hit with a "millionaire's tax" that significantly cuts into their incomes.

The eight-time Super Bowl winning coach was discussing factors that play into what team high-profile NFL players choose to play for. Specifically, Belichick was discussing Dallas Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb.

Lamb recently signed a four-year, $136 million contract extension with the Dallas Cowboys, who of course play in Texas where there is no state income tax. Belichick mentioned this factor while on the "Pat McAfee Show."

'It's not like Tennessee or Florida or Nevada. Some of these teams have no state income tax.'

In reference to rumors that Lamb was considering going to San Francisco, Belichick said, "Does [Lamb] want as much money as possible? Yeah, of course. But is it really worth it to go out of town to wherever and not be playing in the environment and the opportunity he has there in Dallas?"

"If you're already on that team, then how much is it really worth by the time you move, pay your 50% tax, or your millionaire's tax in New England?" the coach asked.

"What's that millionaire's tax about, coach?" the hosts asked at the same time.

"That's Taxachusetts," Belichick replied. "Virtually every player, even the practice squad, even the minimum players are pretty close to $1 million. Once you hit the $1 million threshold, then you pay more state tax in Massachusetts," he explained.

Belichick added that the taxation levels have become a bargaining chip for players' agents, who often demand more money due to the Massachussetts state tax levels.

"Just another thing you've got to contend with in negotiations up there. It's not like Tennessee or Florida or Nevada. Some of these teams have no state income tax. You get hit pretty hard on that with the agents."

Host McAfee, who played in Indiana where there is a state income tax rate of just over 3%, joked about "destination" cities where teams have an advantage when it comes to negotiating contracts.

"That was why, when these destination teams start popping up ... it's like if you're in Florida or Texas or Tennessee it's all of a sudden really good. That's good bartering, that's a couple hundred thousand. That's a lot of — hey! That's a lot of money here! Now, we all want to pay our fair share; where's it going, I would like to learn that, but we all want to pay ... all right we'll stay away from that," he joked.

Wide receiver Calvin Ridley recently signed with the Tennessee Titans over the New England Patriots, with Patriots owner Robert Kraft stating that the tax rates between the two states was one of Ridley's deciding factors, NESN reported.

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'I'll be back soon': Star NFL player out indefinitely after shocking blood clot diagnosis



New England Patriots star defensive tackle Christian Barmore will be absent for an unknown amount of time after his team announced he was treated for blood clots.

The news came as a shock on Barmore's 25th birthday and just months following a contract extension with the Patriots.

'Had this gone untreated, it could’ve been the worst for Christian Barmore.'

The team posted the surprise news on X Sunday evening, revealing that Barmore had visited a Boston-area hospital: "Over the weekend, Christian Barmore was diagnosed with blood clots. He was appropriately treated by the doctors at Mass General Brigham, who tested, evaluated and treated Christian. Our principal concern at this time is Christian's health and well-being. Fortunately, Mass General Brigham provides some of the best healthcare in the world."

"While there is no current timetable for his return, we know Christian is getting tremendous care and we look forward to his full recovery," the team added.

Barmore posted to Instagram that same evening and wrote, "Thank you everyone for all the support, thoughts, and prayers. I'll be back soon."

Barmore's agent, Nicole Lynn, thanked the Patriots' athletic trainer, Jim Whalen, for "his absolute diligence and care over the last couple of days," ESPN reported.

— (@)

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport said Sunday that Barmore had a bruise on the back of his calf and "kind of thought it was nothing," but Whalen insisted on having it looked at anyway.

"Had this gone untreated, it could’ve been the worst for Christian Barmore," Rapoport added.

New England drafted Barmore in the second round in 2021 and has played there his whole career.

The news comes as a huge blow to the team after the 6'5" player led the team with 8.5 sacks in 2023. He was set to be a starter this season as well.

Barmore was rewarded with a huge contract extension in April 2024 worth $83 million with an $18 million signing bonus. He is set to earn an average of $20.75 million per season starting in 2025 with over $31 million in guaranteed money.

Barmore also led the NFL in passes batted down at the line of scrimmage in 2023.

The defensive player posted a thank you message on his birthday the morning the team announced his health issue, giving his fans an opportunity to wish him luck in his recovery.

"We love you B […] Prayers on a full recovery we will miss your absence. You're our Superman. GO PATS," one Patriots fan wrote.

We love you B ❤️🩹💙🤟🏼🏈🔥 Prayers on a full recovery 🙏 we will miss your absence. You're our Superman 🦸♂️ GO PATS
— Patriots Luchador (@PatriotLuchador) July 28, 2024

The 2024 NFL regular season starts Sept. 4. The Patriots’ first game is Sept. 8 against the Cincinnati Bengals.

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Patriots Owner Robert Kraft Pulls the Plug on Columbia Donations, Citing 'Virulent Hate' on Campus

New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft on Monday said he will no longer donate to his alma mater Columbia University due to the "virulent hate" on campus against Jewish people amid widespread anti-Israel protests.

The post Patriots Owner Robert Kraft Pulls the Plug on Columbia Donations, Citing 'Virulent Hate' on Campus appeared first on Washington Free Beacon.

Former NFL player missing after his mother was found dead by homicide in an Illinois creek



A former NFL player has gone missing after his mother was found dead by homicide in an Illinois creek, according to authorities.

Ex-NFL player Sergio Brown was reported missing on Saturday. At the same time, family members notified the Maywood Police Department that Brown's mother, Myrtle Brown, had also gone missing.

Myrtle's sister, Sheila Simmons, told WGN-TV that she last talked to her on Sept. 14. Myrtle had just celebrated her 73rd birthday on Sept. 8.

"We’re going to find out what happened because it’s not normal for my sister to not answer her phone, not to respond to text messages. People have been reaching out to her since Friday. No one was able to reach her," Simmons said.

Sergio, 35, lived in the same Maywood home as his mother.

According to WXIN, "Sheila Simmons says she then went to her sister and nephew’s house in Maywood and noticed things around the house were out of the ordinary."

On Saturday, Myrtle Brown's unresponsive body was reportedly found in a creek near her home.

The Chicago Tribune reported, "The Cook County Medical Examiner’s Officer ruled her death a homicide Sunday afternoon, saying she suffered multiple injuries during an assault."

Police are now searching for Sergio Brown.

Brown is a former Notre Dame football standout who signed with the New England Patriots in 2010 as an undrafted free agent. He played seven seasons in the NFL with the Indianapolis Colts, Jacksonville Jaguars, Atlanta Falcons, and Buffalo Bills. Brown last played in the NFL in 2016.

Nick Brown, the son of Myrtle Brown and brother of Sergio Brown, remembered his mother as a "strong, caring, diligent, fancy, funny."

"Mom always told me, ‘tough times don’t last’ and our last conversation about tough times being temporary is my beacon of hope," the distraught son wrote in a Facebook post on Sunday.

Detectives are urging anyone with information about the murder of Myrtle Brown or Sergio Brown's whereabouts to contact Maywood Police Investigations at 708-368-4131 or the Maywood Police Department anonymous tip line at 708-450-1787.

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Mom of former NFL player found dead, he's still missing www.youtube.com

Brian Flores’ Lawsuit Against The NFL Will Only Damage Black Head Coaches

Flores’ unfounded accusations against the NFL of ‘systemic racism’ will set back the relationship between owners and black coaching talent.

FACT CHECK: Did A COVID-19 Vaccination Site Sign Encourage People To ‘Donate Your Children’s Organs’?

The sign has been digitally manipulated

Steve Kim: Bill Belichick and the Patriots are starting to party like it’s 2001



Guess what: Bill Belichick can still coach his ass off.

After their third consecutive victory, a 24-6 romp over the struggling Carolina Panthers, the New England Patriots now stand at 5-4. On Sunday they made Sam Darnold look like he still played for the Jets. Darnold tossed three interceptions.

New England consistently seemed one step ahead of the Panthers on defense and did just enough on offense to control the game. Using a conservative game plan based around their trio of running backs Rhamondre Stevenson, Brandon Bolden, and Damien Harris, the Patriots didn't ask quarterback Mac Jones to do too much.

It looked a lot like the early Brady-Belichick years, when the Patriots relied on a stingy defense and a quarterback who managed the game.

Last year in the midst of the divorce from the iconic Tom Brady, the franchise suffered through a 7-9 season, missing the playoffs for the first time since 2008. Meanwhile, Brady lifted his seventh Lombardi Trophy in Tampa Bay.

This divorce seemed as one-sided as that of Jeff Bezos.

It was believed that Brady was the overwhelming winner in this high-profile parting of ways. Belichick was exposed as nothing more than the beneficiary of an all-time great behind center. What people forgot is that Belichick is one of the most adroit football minds the game has ever seen.

There were many people who may not have wanted to admit it, but they yearned for Belichick to fail miserably. To them, he was a curmudgeon. He didn't play nice with the media, and others didn't agree with his political leanings.

This year's Patriots were expected to struggle again, but at 5-4 they are now just half a game behind the Buffalo Bills in the AFC East. Three of their four losses have come by a combined nine points. Strangely enough, they have suffered all their losses at home, but are now 4-0 on the road. They are a team surging in confidence and getting better each week.

Yeah, I know, Belichick is an easy guy to hate. He's not a warm-and-fuzzy guy. What really grinds the gears of those who aren't Patriots fans is that he really doesn't seem to care. He's about football and really nothing else. Belichick is cold, calculating, and at times seemingly heartless — ask Stephon Gilmore, and before him, Lawyer Milloy and Richard Seymour.

Belichick wouldn't have hesitated to shoot Old Yeller.

Don't expect Belichick to say too many good things about his current squad. "The Patriot Way" is about doing your job (well) and then doing it again the following week. This just feels like the quintessential Belichick team.

As he would say, they're on to Cleveland.
Cam Newton says he's vaccinated and people need to stop judging others: 'Do what's right for you'

Cam Newton says he's vaccinated and people need to stop judging others: 'Do what's right for you'



NFL free agent quarterback Cam Newton spoke out against what he called a "judgement realm" surrounding the issue of COVID-19 vaccines, urging people to make their own decisions according to what they believe is in their best interests.

"You have to do what's right for you," Newton, 32, said in a video posted Sunday on his YouTube channel. He said that judging another person based on their vaccination status is "not going to get us nowhere but angry at each other."

"Whether a person gets vaccinated or not, in my honest opinion, that's a personal decision and I think it should be respected as such," he said, before announcing that after his initial reluctance to get the shot, he talked to his doctor and got vaccinated so he can play football again.

"I got my vaccination card. I want to play football. And stop damn judging people if they do or if they don't got the vaccination," he said.

Newton, a former MVP, played in 15 games with the New England Patriots last year. Before the 2021 season began, was released by the team, which is starting rookie Mac Jones, after missing three practices because of a "misunderstanding" of COVID-19 protocols. Coach Bill Belichick denied that Newton's vaccination status was a factor in the decision to release the quarterback.

In Sunday's video, Newton said that while he was playing for the New England Patriots, he decided not to get vaccinated against COVID-19 because of his concerns with possible side effects. He repeatedly said that people need to do what's best for them when it comes to vaccination, and that whatever they choose, they should not be judged for their decision.

"Some people are in a position where they deem for religious purposes or personal reasons that it's not beneficial for them, and that's not to say that they're living careless, that they're living in this barbaric manner to bring harm to other people, because there's people who are vaccinated that still could potentially catch COVID!" said Newton.

"One thing I do know, as long as there are two people left on this earth there will always be differences. And I'll I'm trying to say is, it's still a personal decision," he added.

Now that he's vaccinated, Newton says he's been contacted by multiple NFL teams about a spot on their rosters but the right opportunity hasn't yet come around.

"I still get that urge to go out and perform and do something that I've been doing since I was 7-years-old," Newton said. "But also, it's like, man, I'm so much more than just a football player. Respect me as such."

The decision about which offer to accept, just like the decision to get vaccinated, is a choice Newton says he will make according to what he thinks is best.

"It's all apart of the melting pot of do what's best for you and do not allow nobody else to make you think anything different, whether you get the shot or don't, just stay healthy.

"And I think, if you can get that through your thick head and your thick skull, we all will be alright."

Couch: Tom Brady continues to demonstrate Bill Belichick was more impediment than launching pad



There is no charm about Tom Brady the way there is in most Old Guy versus Father Time stories.

Phil Mickelson was washed up at 50 before finding magic this spring to win the PGA Championship. Something just felt good about that. You felt your personal glory might still be reachable again at the right time and place with the right work and circumstance. By the time the U.S. Open came, Mickelson was washed up again, surely forever. His moment lives, though.

Through seven Super Bowl titles, I've never been inspired by Brady. Not even last year. Amazed, yes. But not inspired until Thursday night, with 1:24 left in the Tampa Bay-Dallas game in the NFL season opener. Brady and Tampa had the ball at their 25, trailing 29-28.

And you knew one thing for sure: The game was over. Brady was never going to fail. Forty-four years old didn't matter. Eighty-four seconds left and one timeout didn't matter. His age might amaze us, but to him that's not even a consideration. Brady didn't need magic for another moment because he's not living a moment.

The point of Tom Brady is clear now and particularly important today: It's that limitations and other people don't define who you are. Circumstances like age don't define you. Check your inevitabilities at the door.

Brady is no fluke. He's not finding old magic or a spark. He just is. And when he got out from under the thumb of Bill Belichick authoritatively telling him how things had to be done, how to think, how to face being past his time, Brady went to Tampa Bay and got better. That's because he was himself.

"It's nice that I've found my voice more," he said recently. "I really enjoy being around my teammates, my coaches. It's been a different environment, just really enjoying the experience of playing football, playing with a group of guys."

After a year and a half of COVID, we've had our fill of circumstances dictating. We've had enough of the media — social or traditional — or political parties telling us what to think or do. That's why there is so much rage out there now.

It's why you can't find an Uber any more, because there aren't enough people willing to drive one. It's why employers can't find workers. People don't want to be defined by limitations any more. So they're just not taking the jobs they don't want.

Brady is the poster child for that. A few years ago, when he was still in New England with Belichick, I thought it was time for him to retire. A lot of people did. He was starting to fail. Belichick's dynasty needed a new cog at quarterback because Brady was getting too old.

Brady knew that age wasn't his limitation. Belichick was.

And when Brady won the Super Bowl last year in Tampa while Belichick failed in New England, that changed the picture of Belichick. For so long, Belichick was a genius on every coaching Mount Rushmore, and as long as you did what he said, you would win. Brady knew better.

Former New England cornerback Asante Samuel tweeted recently about Belichick, saying, "...without Brady he is just another coach in my opinion."

A trend has come up this year with athletes talking about their mental health. Simone Biles, Naomi Osaka. Just this week, women's national team soccer player Christen Press announced on social media, "I've made the difficult decision to take a couple of months away from the game to focus on my mental health."

Without using those words, that's what Brady did last year.

It was fun sport last year watching Brady win and Belichick lose and talking about who was winning their divorce. That was just about celebrity bickering.

It seems bigger now. Belichick has rebuilt his offensive line and now has the guy who is supposed to be the new Brady, rookie first-round draft pick Mac Jones, at quarterback.

The idea isn't that Jones is the greatest talent, but instead that he can be a perfect cog in Belichick's machine. If there was any doubt, Brady proved last year that he was never a cog in the first place. He made Belichick look human.

We've seen old athletes come back for greatness. George Foreman won the heavyweight title way past his prime and Jack Nicklaus won the Masters.

Those guys were different from Brady. He isn't finding old talents one last time. He is doing things his way, not Belichick's. That game-winning drive Thursday night was no surprise. Brady won't go away any time soon, either.

Couch: Cam Newton, unvaccinated players should focus their ire on NFL players’ union



I can save the NFL Players Association a lot of time in its investigation into Urban Meyer and his comments that he factored players' COVID vaccination status into his final player cuts.

The NFLPA sounded awfully strong and indignant. But here is my three-part advice to the NFLPA on how to get its investigation done in mere seconds:

Look in a mirror.
Point.
Say "Guilty."
Investigation over.

The NFLPA created this mess. At the very least, it could have stopped it. And now it claims to want to know whether teams across the NFL were dumping players for not having taken the jab? Well, they were. All of them were.

"Everyone was considered," said Meyer, coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars. "That was part of it — production, let's start talking about this. And also is he vaccinated or not? Can I say that that was a decision-maker? It was certainly in consideration."

Meyer is new to the NFL and hasn't yet grasped the concept of going along and getting along. So he keeps doing things such as trying out Tim Tebow at tight end when there might be hundreds of union dues-paying failed tight ends who would've liked the chance.

If the NFLPA is upset with Meyer, it's only because he didn't offer the savvy that New England coach Bill Belichick did when he was asked if Cam Newton's vaccination status played a role in his release.

"No," Belichick fibbed.

Of course it did.

The league's protocols are much more stringent for players who haven't been vaccinated than for those who have.

For one, unvaccinated players have to be tested at a team site every day. Vaccinated players have to be tested just once a week. There are all sorts of protocols like that, including that unvaccinated players are more likely to have to skip playing time or be put on the COVID list and made to sit out.

That makes unvaccinated players worth less than vaccinated ones.

The NFL wanted these rules, but the league is in this for the league's best interest. It is a PR benefit to be proactive on COVID, and also owners have legit concerns about losing players to COVID. Lose too many and you can't play a game, or maybe can't make the playoffs. If you can't play because too many unvaccinated players get COVID, then your team might forfeit. If it's because vaccinated players get it? The game is likely rescheduled.

But the NFLPA is there to represent the players, not the league's interests. Yet the NFLPA went along with the NFL's suggested rules and protocols.

Without data, I'd say it's safe to guess that at least 50% of the players didn't want the vaccine. In agreeing to the NFL's plan, the NFLPA set up a lower class of NFL citizens.

It's hard to know what the NFLPA and executive director DeMaurice Smith stand for. A union is supposed to stand firmly against a strong-arming boss. Personally, I like the NFL's COVID rules because the players retain their rights while being pressured into getting the jab.

But I can't see any way possible that a union would like this.

Is the NFLPA trying to get everyone vaccinated? I don't think so, as it rejected that plan from the NFL. Is it trying to say that it knows better than the players about COVID? How are the players' desires reflected?

Coaches would have to consider vaccination status. If a vaccinated player is found to have COVID, he'd be subjected to less time away than an unvaccinated one.

Coaches are just trying to win football games. That requires as much continuity and reliability as possible.

The Jaguars tried to clean up Meyer's mess by denying that vaccination status was a factor. Then they winked and said it was.

"Availability is one of the many factors taken into account when making roster decisions."

Yes, and vaccinated players have much more availability than unvaccinated ones. Cam Newton had to sit out from the Patriots for five days because he got his test at the wrong place. Had he been vaccinated, he wouldn't have needed a daily test and presumably would have been available.

No matter how the Jaguars phrase it, one plus one still equals two.

Vaccination is considered, like experience or speed, or whether a player is injury-prone.

"I would just point out that I don't know what the number is — you guys can look it up, you have the access to a lot of information — but the number of players, coaches, and staff members that have been infected by COVID in this training camp who have been vaccinated is a pretty high number," Belichick said. "So I wouldn't lose sight of that."

Well, ESPN reported that the league's numbers say 68 of 7,190 tests among players and staff were positive in the first three weeks of August. And the rate of positive tests among the unvaccinated was seven times higher than among the vaccinated.

But this isn't an argument about the vaccine. It's about the extra time on what's basically a COVID injury list that an unvaccinated player is subject to.

Even an anti-vaxxer coach would have to consider that.

A team might overlook that to keep a star player. But the players fighting for a roster spot at all, the ones who need their union's help the most?

They're the ones most likely to lose their jobs. The NFLPA made sure of that.