The Great Divide Among Patriots Fans

Patriots nation is a family. Families often get into disputes but unless it's something serious, they can normally come back together for the sake of the family. Patriots nation has had a rift for a few years but it's not just over one thing.

There is the Brady versus Belichick debate. It's silly but a debate. And then there's another on whether or not the Patriots should've paid Brady to stay in New England. Brady's stats were coming down and there was a visible drop in some of his play but Brady went to Tampa and has been playing at a high level. Brady didn't just go to a bum team though, he went to a stacked team that got even better.

As for the Brady versus Belichick debate, sure one could look at Manning in Denver or Brady in Tampa as signs that it was Brady who was responsible for the dynasty but Shanahan in Denver or Gruden in Tampa are just two examples of where a good head coach had to go to a franchise to win. Elway had been in denver over a decade but could not win a ring. Pop in Shanahan and boom, Elway gets his ring.

The divide doesn't stop there. There are fans upset that the Patriots cut Cam Newton. That believe he would have the Patriots undefeated. Many of these fans don't think the Patriots should've drafted Mac Jones. Then there are the fans who think the Patriots record would be the same if not worse with Cam and know the passing offense would be worse. If Newton was as good as people think, he would be on a team.

There's a group of fans that believe Belichick needs to step down as general manager and don't think he knows what he's doing. And there are those who disagree.

There are fans that think Belichick should step down as head coach and there are those who disagree and ask replaced with whom?

There are those who want Josh McDaniels to be the next head coach and those who don't. There are also fans that think the league has caught up to McDaniels as a coordinator and then there are those who blame Belichick and the roster for McDaniels over the past few seasons.

There is a divide over whether or not Steve Belichick should be fired or not. Whether or not he should be stripped of play calling duties, and a divide over whether he should replace his dad as the next head coach.

Then there is a divide over whether the Patriots have a losing history. Prior to 2020, post millennium fans were saying "the Patriots don't know what losing is," and they meant it. They are some of the most arrogant and entitled fans in sports.

Then there is the pre 2001 era Patriots fans, who saw the team be one of the laughing stocks of the league for part or most of the team's first forty years. While a little cocky at times, these fans knew that at anytime the Patriots could return to obscurity like the way the cowboys did after their 1970 & early 80s dynasty. These fans were referred to as elitist by the new generation of fans.

If you monitor social media you can find arguement between fans over the Patriots team history. Yes for twenty years the Patriots have been good but that's only a third of their team history. And it's true we shouldn't live in the past but we shouldn't ignore it either.

There are other rifts also like the Patriots fans that are only fans of winning, and there are rifts over whether or not it's okay to criticize the team. For some fans, if they hear anyone criticize the team, they will label you in the same category as the "negative" boston media. In fact the Patriots media has two factions, the "negative" and the "homers." And any information from the other side is instantly discredited unless one of their own presents it.

There are even rifts over how football is to be watched. Some fans only watch the Patriots and think they're the only football team to pay attention to, while other fans think you have to watch and pay attention to every team or you're not a real patriots fan. 

Patriots Nation is a family and just like any family blood doesn't make right. Family can be wrong and just like any other family, there will be internal fights. The family will either eventually come together or divide into clicks and cut the rest of the family off. Now that the Brady era is over, the only thing at the moment that can truly unite the family besides time, is if Mac Jones starts a new dynasty. 

Remember we as Patriots nation have one job family, and that is to support the Patriots any way we know how. Don't let anyone tell you how to be a fan of the Patriots, just continue to wish and cheer for their best. 

I don't know, it's just a thought.