Bill Belichick gives classic boring answer when asked about Nathan Rourke
New England Patriots head coach and general manager Bill Belichick isn’t known for his long and flowery answers to the media. He lived up to that reputation when asked today about the acquisition of former BC Lions quarterback Nathan Rourke.
āThe depth at that position, we only have two quarterbacks on the roster,ā said Belichick very matter-of-factly. āIf a guy sprains his ankle, youāre down to putting a receiver or running back or somebody at quarterback.ā
He then moved on to some more Rourke-specific information, although he kept that very brief as well.
“He’s productive. Preseason. Canada,” the man of famously few words continued.
Bill Belichick on newly-added QB Nathan Rourke who the #Patriots claimed off waivers from the Jaguars this week.
The Pats beginning preparation for the Broncos today in Foxboro. @ABC6 #ForeverNE pic.twitter.com/QROrY5Znjo
— Nick Coit (@NCoitABC6) December 20, 2023
While such a short answer might be expected from a coach who is just getting acquainted with a new player, Belichick is also the acting general manager for the Patriots and thus would’ve been involved in the decision to claim Rourke.
Rourke was acquired by the Patriots earlier this week after being placed on waivers by the Jacksonville Jaguars. The 25-year-old has not yet gotten any regular season NFL action, although he is much closer now that he’s not stuck behind former first-overall pick Trevor Lawrence as he was on the Jaguars.
The Patriots were not the only NFL team interested in Rourke as it was revealed that the Houston Texans also made a waiver claim for the Canadian quarterback. However, the Patriots were second on the NFL’s waiver priority list and thus had the right to pick up Rourke.
Rourke dominated the 2o22 CFL season for the BC Lions, completing just shy of 80% of his passes while throwing for 25 touchdowns against just 10 interceptions. He was given the CFL’s Most Outstanding Canadian award as a result of his strong play during that season.
He’s now the third-string quarterback for the Patriots. However, the two players ahead of him, Bailey Zappe and Mac Jones, have not impressed so far this season. With three regular-season games remaining, there’s a chance that Rourke could see his first NFL game action before the end of the year.
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