Dane Fletcher and Bill Belichick

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blueandgoldblitz
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Dane Fletcher and Bill Belichick

Post by blueandgoldblitz » Fri Oct 02, 2020 3:39 am

Dane Fletcher speaks about how Belichick helped him at the end of his career. I copied the Fletcher part here. To read the whole article (if you're a subscriber) go to https://theathletic.com/2105473/2020/10 ... h60CjmKORq


Fletcher signed with the Patriots in 2010 as an undrafted free agent out of Montana State. He spent four seasons in New England before opting for a change of scenery with Tampa in 2014.

And after he tore his ACL in the regular-season finale, Fletcher had mentally checked out and decided to retire, move home to Montana and open a gym, which for a long time had been his post-career plan. Fletcher’s agent met him in Tampa that offseason and tried to see if there was any chance he’d continue playing, even throwing out a hypothetical scenario involving a Belichick inquiry.

“I was like, ‘I’d need months to even think about playing football again,’” Fletcher remembered telling his agent. “(Belichick) was the only person who could call me and actually talk me into playing again, and that’s exactly what happened.”

Fletcher agreed to re-sign with the Patriots in May 2015 after Belichick worked his magic. He knew Belichick could have just told Fletcher to call him in the fall when he was physically ready, but he appreciated the way Belichick gave him the chance to really get after it as early as possible.

“Belichick called me up and we had a good chat about the locker room, the team, picking up where we left off after being gone for a year,” Fletcher said. “It was a short conversation, but catching up with him and how his family is, how the team is doing. He was like, ‘Look, we want you back. We think you’re a valuable asset to the team and the locker room. We still think you can bring a lot to the table. We’ll IR you until you’re healthy. And when you’re healthy, you’re good to go.’ To give me another shot was unbelievable. And to pay me for another year when I’m just coming off another (torn) ACL, I thought that was a really cool move on his end to still look out for some of the people who left him and still take them back.”


When Fletcher was contemplating retirement, Belichick gave him one last chance to see if he could still compete in the NFL. (Tom Szczerbowski / Getty Images)
Fletcher opened the season on the physically unable to perform list and but began a three-week practice window in November. When that window closed and the Patriots had to decide whether to activate him to the 53-man roster or shelve him for the rest of the season, Belichick called Fletcher to his office for a meeting.

“He and I had a really good conversation,” Fletcher said. “He asked where I was, and I told him I’m probably 90 percent. I feel good. I’ve been practicing really well. My knee is still not 100 percent, and mentally, I’m not 100 percent because of that. But could I go out there and play and do what I need to get done on the field? Absolutely.

“When Bill and I were talking, I was kind of relieved when we both came to terms that IR might be the best move. I don’t know if I was almost convincing him that IR might be the best move for me or if he was convincing me. I don’t know how the persuasion was really working there. I walked out of the office happy as hell that I don’t have to put pads on again. Most players that I’ve seen are disappointed and sad. I was just happy that I had the opportunity.”

Fletcher relished the chance to stick around Gillette Stadium and serve as a mentor to younger linebackers like Brandon King. Some on the staff asked Fletcher if he would be interested in coaching, either on the strength staff or a role with the linebackers or special teamers. Essentially, Belichick was trying to help Fletcher figure out his next moves.

At least to this point, Fletcher hasn’t really considered a coaching job, but he put that year to good use. He soaked up the environment and took notes on the way Belichick, quarterback Tom Brady and other successful coaches and players handled their business.

It was for a two-pronged purpose. First, Fletcher wanted to preserve those memories long enough to tell his kids what it was like to be around the best in the sport. And second, he planned to apply those lessons in his business career.

“I think I could have still played really well at a high level, but my mind wasn’t in the game anymore,” Fletcher said. “I was 100 percent driven to get into the business world and use all of these tools that (Belichick) has taught me, that (Robert) Kraft has taught me, that the NFL has taught me about how to get ahead of the game, and to use all of these tools for business. This is how competitive I can get on the field. This is how competitive Belichick is on the sidelines, in coaching, at night watching film. How competitive can I get in the business world? That’s where it has really paid off for me.”

Fletcher opened The Pitt Training Facility in Bozeman, Mont., and he has taken plenty from his football career into his business, swapping out late-night film sessions for comprehensive studies of internal and external reports and numbers to gain an edge.

He also compared his business director to an offensive coordinator – attacking, raising money and finding resources to build the membership. And Fletcher’s coaching director is the defensive coordinator, always working on keeping the members happy enough to remain on board.

It’s been working. Fletcher added a recovery lab and physical therapy in February, and he has had conversations about franchising his model to expand into other states.

“You’ve got to be airtight on everything before you’re on that (franchise) model,” Fletcher said. “But we’re a step closer because of how much I can learn and relate it to Belichick’s philosophies. It’s how you treat people, how you have to keep people accountable for this thing to work. You need everybody on the same mission. “



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HelenaCat95
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Re: Dane Fletcher and Bill Belichick

Post by HelenaCat95 » Fri Oct 02, 2020 8:13 am

Good article, and I would highly encourage everyone to subscribe to the Athletic. They have great analysis, great stories, and are well-written.



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