Bill Belichick still haunted by the Lamar Jackson mistake he made —twice

What could person been, nan Foxborough religious tin only dream.

In his forthcoming book, “The Art of Winning: Lessons from My Life successful Football,” Bill Belichick reveals 1 large regret during his 24 years arsenic nan apical canine successful New England: passing up connected Lamar Jackson. Twice. 

The erstwhile Patriots caput coach dedicates an full section successful his caller book to “Mistakes” — main among them, nan team’s inability to clasp Tom Brady successful 2020 owed to financial constraints.

But if Belichick is going to enarthrosis blasted for passing up connected a would-be prima backmost successful Jackson, 30 different sets of caput coaches and wide managers should, too.

The Baltimore Ravens called his sanction astatine No. 32, and nan awesome caller has doubly been named MVP successful nan 7 seasons since.

In 2017, Belichick’s Patriots were caller disconnected a tally to nan AFC Championship Game and 2 years removed from possibly nan top comeback successful Super Bowl history: A 34-28 triumph complete nan Atlanta Falcons.

Brady would soon move 41, and location had been chat astir New England searching for a successor — possibly moreover trading up for Baker Mayfield. Both he and Jackson had been hosted for visits earlier nan draft.

Neither were meant to be. At No. 23, nan Patriots selected Isaiah Wynn, violative tackle from Georgia; successful keeping pinch nan Bulldog theme, moving backmost Sony Michel was selected astatine No. 31 — 1 prime earlier Jackson.

Wynn started 50 games for New England from 2019-2022, while Michel, astatine slightest for a time, played to his imaginable and more. 

In 2018, then-23, nan rookie ran for 931 yards and six touchdowns successful nan regular season; successful nan postseason, he added 336 rushing yards and different six touchdowns en way to nan Patriots 2018 Super Bowl triumph complete nan Los Angeles Rams.

Jackson, meanwhile, spent astir of 2018 connected Baltimore’s bench. When he did switch Joe Flacco precocious successful nan year, he struggled — particularly successful nan Ravens’ wild-card nonaccomplishment to nan Chargers, completing conscionable 14 of 29 attempts.

Baltimore went connected to make nan playoffs 5 of its adjacent six seasons — advancing arsenic acold arsenic nan AFC Championship information successful 2024. 

That’s much than Belichick and nan Patriots tin say. 

New England mislaid successful nan chaotic paper information successful 2019, Brady near up of nan 2020 play and nan dynasty-depleted Patriots vanished beneath .500 successful 3 of nan 4 pursuing seasons earlier nan legendary coach parted ways pinch nan franchise.

Belichick past took complete arsenic coach of North Carolina aft a twelvemonth distant from nan sidelines.

Don’t expect nan caput coach to tell-all of those middling post-Brady years successful “The Art of Winning.” Nor of either “Gate.” 

The names “Robert Kraft” and “Aaron Hernandez” don’t look successful immoderate of nan 289 pages, but readers can, if thing else, return solace successful a convey you to “idea mill and imaginative muse, Jordan Hudson.”