After earning the top seed in the AFC, the Patriots are enjoying a well-deserved bye week, but as always, that doesn't mean they're actually taking any time off. By now, it shouldn't come as a surprise to see Bill Belichick enforce his "No Days Off" mantra even on a day when Mother Nature turns Foxborough into the ice planet of Hoth.
On Thursday, Massachusetts was blanketed by a storm that the National Weather Service described as "heavy snow with blizzard conditions." As a result, the Patriots moved practice indoors -- with good reason.
It really did look like Hoth:
Practicing inside was probably a good idea. #NoDaysOffpic.twitter.com/haPFEUIXwZ
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) January 4, 2018
Today's storm. We're here for it. pic.twitter.com/eE0wj4Prlj
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) January 4, 2018
"It's a beautiful day." pic.twitter.com/2smtX7sSSy
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) January 4, 2018
Indoors appeared to be a bit more cozier:
❄️ outside.
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) January 4, 2018
🔥 inside. pic.twitter.com/PEQ1EzPaJg
He might've let them practice indoors, but if you expected Bill Belichick to go all soft on his players and relax his rules, you don't know Bill Belichick. Despite the National Weather Service's warning that "travel will be very difficult to impossible," Belichick didn't give players any extra time to show up on time to the facility.
"Every day is a work day," he said, per ESPN.
Consider his message received.
"You certainly better leave yourself enough time to get here on time tomorrow," special teams captain Matthew Slater said Wednesday. "We all know there is weather. Coach has mentioned that several times to the team, so I wouldn't want to be the guy who is late tomorrow."
"He's mentioned that he doesn't care. 'Don't call and say your car got stuck.' I think everyone knows there are two hotels up here at Patriot Place, so stay there for the night. Find a way," safety Devin McCourty said. "I tell guys, 'Wake up earlier.' Especially if you don't have a garage or something. Wake up and go clean your car off. I think guys know. We're in the NFL playoffs. I think everyone, if you've been here for a week or two weeks, you kind of get that -- 'this guy Bill that talks every day in the early morning, he doesn't play.'
"So not much needs to be said about being here on time and being ready to work."
The Patriots won't play again until 8:15 p.m. ET on Saturday, Jan. 13, when they'll host the Bills, Titans or Chiefs. By the look of it, Gillette Stadium might need all nine days to fully recover from the storm.
Meanwhile, inside @GilletteStadium: pic.twitter.com/7hhzrgyZr9
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) January 4, 2018