The New England Patriots have had some iconic sayings over the years. They're trying to add another one to the list.

Ahead of the Patriots' Week 4 matchup against the Dallas Cowboys, each player on the Patriots received hoodies at their lockers with the Pat Patriot logo in the front. If you turned the sweatshirt around though, you'd see that it reads, “No one is coming; it's up to us.”

Patriots veteran wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster was the first player to rock the new hoodie. He told reporters Wednesday that assistant head coach Joe Judge was the person behind it, placing the hoodie at each player's locker as they started a new week of practice.

Via Mike Reiss:

Judge, who is in his second stint with the Patriots, actually used a similar practice in the past. When he was the special teams coordinator from 2015-19, Judge would give the core players on that unit a sweatshirt each season with a different motivational message.

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 ·

It's easy to decipher what the latest motivational message from Judge means. With the Patriots sitting at 1-2, he wants the players to recognize that you can't rely on other players coming in and that they have to right the ship themselves (though, of course, the team could always make a move ahead of the trade deadline).

The message obviously makes sense considering the Patriots' record and the struggles they've had on offense as they've been inconsistent in all facets, leading to many of us outsiders to finger-point who is to blame.

However, the message could also be viewed as a bit of a backhanded motivational mark, too. It acknowledges that things haven't been perfect so far and that the team has to figure things out themselves, possibly indicating that there's better talent out there but they won't be a savior.

The message could work though. If it does, it'd be just the latest of a few slogans the Patriots have had over the past 20 years. “Do Your Job” was the mantra of the Patriots' dynasty while “No Days Off” and “We're Still Here” became rallying cries in the later Super Bowl runs. It'd take a good amount of success from the 2023 Patriots for “No one is coming; it's up to us” to join that pantheon of messages.