New England Patriots

New England Patriots

New England Patriots

Dec 16, 2007; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick shakes hands with New York Jets head coach Eric Mangini at the end of the game at Gillette Stadium. The Patriots defeated the Jets 20-10. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-US PRESSWIRE

The Apple TV New England Patriots docuseries The Dynasty continued on Thursday night. After releasing the first two episodes last week, two more were released this Thursday.

Last week’s episodes focused on Tom Brady replacing Drew Bledsoe as the Patriots’ starter, with the first of this Thursday’s two episodes focusing on Brady leading the team to victory over the then-St. Louis Rams in Super Bowl XXXVI. The second episode this week briefly touched on the next two Super Bowl wins but then turned to the first major scandal of the Bill Belichick-Tom Brady era – Spygate.


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After focusing more on the football side of things through the first three episodes, Episode 4 was much more of a peak behind the curtain at Gillette Stadium. In addition to well-known names, viewers were introduced to those who helped the Patriots navigate Spygate behind the scenes, and maybe never became household names. It also includes a look at the team’s loss in Super Bowl XLII, which in some ways made the episode seem tailored much more to New York sports fans than Boston fans.

What was learned in what will likely be one of the more dramatic episodes of the series? Here are the quotes that stood out from the new interviews in Episode 4 of The Dynasty

  • Josh McDaniels on acquiring Randy Moss

    Jan 20, 2007; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots wide receiver Randy Moss (81) before the start of the AFC Championship game against the San Diego Chargers at Gillette Stadium. Credit: James Lang-US PRESSWIRE

    Jan 20, 2007; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots wide receiver Randy Moss (81) before the start of the AFC Championship game against the San Diego Chargers at Gillette Stadium. Credit: James Lang-US PRESSWIRE

    McDaniels: “I look back on [the 2006 AFC Championship]. The offense, we didn’t get out in front enough and we couldn’t score enough to beat ’em. Right away, going into that offseason, Bill and I, we talked about, we’ve got to find some new offensive blood. A receiver who’s an alpha player. Like a guy who’s gonna hang 50 on you.”

    McDaniels is referring to the thought process leading up to the acquisition of Randy Moss, who of course took the Patriots’ offense to another level upon his arrival. That being said, some Patriots fans may hear this quote and wonder where that approach and mentality was during the later years of McDaniels’ tenure in New England.

  • Ernie Adams refuses to talk about Spygate

    Dec 29, 2019; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots director of football research Ernie Adams watches the Miami Dolphins during warm-ups prior to their game at Gillette Stadium.

    Dec 29, 2019; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots director of football research Ernie Adams watches the Miami Dolphins during warm-ups prior to their game at Gillette Stadium.

    Adams: “Just so you know, on this whole video thing the Jets game in 2007 – I’m not gonna re-open that.”

    Interviewer: “We have to talk about that.”

    Adams: “Right. Just so you know, I mean, this is, you’re not, I’m not – could I tell you stories? Yes. Am I going to? No. I’ve got some…It’s going to the grave with me a little bit.” 

    Adams clearly wasn’t going anywhere near the events that led up to the Spygate saga itself. He did discuss dealing with the league in the fallout, and other teams doing similar things.

  • Robert Kraft on an initial conversation he had with Bill Belichick post-Spygate

    FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS - DECEMBER 17: New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, Bon Jovi, and head coach Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots look on prior to a game against the Kansas City Chiefs at Gillette Stadium on December 17, 2023 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

    FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS – DECEMBER 17: New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, Bon Jovi, and head coach Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots look on prior to a game against the Kansas City Chiefs at Gillette Stadium on December 17, 2023 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

    Kraft: “I couldn’t believe it. I went right over to Bill and I said ‘let me ask you something Bill. How important to us is something like that on a scale of one to 100?’ And he said to me ‘one.’ And I said to him ‘then you’re a real schmuck.'”

    As the series goes on, there figures to be some previously-unknown contentious moments between Belichick and Kraft brought to light. This is one of the first major ones.

  • Robert Kraft stands up for Bill Belichick publicly post-Spygate

    MEXICO CITY, MEXICO - NOVEMBER 19: New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft talks with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell prior to the game between the New England Patriots and the Oakland Raiders at Estadio Azteca on November 19, 2017 in Mexico City, Mexico. (Photo by Buda Mendes/Getty Images)

    MEXICO CITY, MEXICO – NOVEMBER 19: New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft talks with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell prior to the game between the New England Patriots and the Oakland Raiders at Estadio Azteca on November 19, 2017 in Mexico City, Mexico. (Photo by Buda Mendes/Getty Images)

    Kraft: “Look, I was pissed with Bill. But when you have division from within, it can be very destructive and dangerous. So, I protected Bill. I talked with the lawyers from the NFL office. I said ‘look, fine Bill, fine us. Do whatever you got to do, but don’t suspend him. We tried to protect his reputation.”

    Despite Kraft’s frustration with Belichick, he still backed his head coach when dealing with Roger Goodell and the NFL league office. If he doesn’t Belichick is likely suspended to start the 2007 season, which obviously became a pivotal moment in Patriots history.

  • Donte Stallworth on the Patriots’ approach in 2007

    Oct  14, 2007; Irving, TX, USA; New England Patriots receiver Donte Stallworth (18) runs after a catch against Dallas Cowboys cornerback Terence Newman (41) in the second quarter at Texas Stadium. Credit: Matthew Emmons-US PRESSWIRE

    Oct 14, 2007; Irving, TX, USA; New England Patriots receiver Donte Stallworth (18) runs after a catch against Dallas Cowboys cornerback Terence Newman (41) in the second quarter at Texas Stadium. Credit: Matthew Emmons-US PRESSWIRE

    Stallworth: “Spygate, we all took it personal. We’re not out here just to win games, we’re out here to f–king make you quit. We want to, we want to do very bad things to you.” 

    It’s clear the Patriots were in revenge tour mode in 2007, but the way Stallworth puts it to bluntly hits home. The Patriots were on a warpath, in defense of Belichick to prove they didn’t need cameras to be great.

  • Randy Moss on the final pass of Super Bowl XLII

    Feb 3, 2008; Glendale, AZ, USA; during Super Bowl XLII at the University of Phoenix Stadium.  The New York Giants defeated the New England Patriots 17-14.  Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-US PRESSWIRE

    Feb 3, 2008; Glendale, AZ, USA; during Super Bowl XLII at the University of Phoenix Stadium. The New York Giants defeated the New England Patriots 17-14. Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-US PRESSWIRE

    Moss: “Of all the plays I’ve made my whole life, that still haunts me. My fingertips touched it. I nipped it.” 

    Moss shows genuine regret when discussing the final play that could have saved the Patriots’ perfect 2007 season. It’s a play that gets lost to history sometimes, but had the potential to be one of the biggest in NFL history.

  • Alex Barth is a writer and digital producer for 985TheSportsHub.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Thoughts? Comments? Questions? Looking for a podcast guest? Let him know on Twitter @RealAlexBarth or via email at [email protected].

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