New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick recently spoke about the strategy behind spending responsibly and building a sustainable winner in the NFL, and he said that overspending will always come back to bite you, bringing up some examples from the past with the Los Angeles Rams, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Jacksonville Jaguars.

“Temporarily you can, but you can't sustain it, no,” Bill Belichick said, according to Michael David Smith. “You can't sustain the 20 years of success that we sustained by overspending every year without having to eventually pay those bills and play with a lesser team. So I think if you look at the teams that have done that, that's kinda where some of them ended up. Jacksonville back in '14, the Rams are going through it, Tampa is going through it now. So, I'm not saying there's anything right or wrong with it. It's just a different way of doing things and there's the results of doing that.”

Belichick does have a point. The Patriots have been a sustainable winner for the majority of his tenure. However, two of the three teams he mentioned did achieve what they were going for, which was winning the Super Bowl in their window of contention. The Buccaneers won with Tom Brady as their quarterback in 2020, and the Rams won in 2021. The Jaguars did not win with that team.

Article Continues Below
More New England Patriots News
Houston Texans wide receiver Stefon Diggs (1) during the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at NRG Stadium.
Patriots rumors: Mike Florio examines ‘complicated’ Stefon Diggs cut scenarioBen Strauss ·
Patriots coach Mike Vrabel (center) with Eastern Washington receiver Efton Chism III (left) and Patriots cornerback Kobee Minor (right)
3 New England Patriots hidden gems on 2025 roster you need to knowJaren Kawada ·
Oct 27, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans wide receiver Stefon Diggs (1) walks towards the sideline before the game against the Indianapolis Colts at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
Patriots rumors: Stefon Diggs being cut ‘on the table’ amid viral videoMike Gianakos ·
Houston Texans wide receiver Stefon Diggs (1) warms up prior to the game against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium. Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images
Stefon Diggs’ future hinges on truth over boat party says Albert BreerJake Faigus ·
New England Patriots guard Cole Strange (69) defends against Las Vegas Raiders defensive tackle Neil Farrell Jr. (93) at Allegiant Stadium.
Patriots rumors: Controversial 1st-Round pick on chopping block to be cutConor Roche ·
New England Patriots center David Andrews (60) watches from the sideline during the first half against the Carolina Panthers at Gillette Stadium.
2-time Super Bowl champion retires after 10 seasons with PatriotsConor Roche ·

The Patriots were ridiculed by their fans at points this offseason for not spending, especially when it came to DeAndre Hopkins, who eventually signed with the Tennessee Titans.

Time will tell if that was the right strategy for the Patriots in 2023.