Exactly 20-years to the day on Tuesday, the Patriots reported to training camp at Bryant down in Smithfield, RI for the final time.

July 26, 2002 marked the last time players reported to the campus prior to preseason work moving to Gillette Stadium for the 2003 season. As players reported on Tuesday for the start of the 2022 season, Belichick was asked if he has any particular memories from those old school training camps, or, if it’s harder now to get a read on his team’s mental toughness heading into the regular season than it was back then after a grueling few weeks.

“We could talk about that for hours, there are differences now from 20 years ago in football just like there is in everything else. Not really focused on that, whatever it is, it is,” he said. “The other 31 teams are doing the same thing so, like we always do, we’ll try to take advantage of the time and the opportunities that we have, make the most of them, and get the team ready to go – that’s what the other 31 teams are doing so, that’s what it is.

“Whatever it was, it was in the past and all that. There’s certainly a lot of differences, I’m not going to say that it’s the same, but nothing is the same as it was 20 years ago so, we all move on and adjust.”

As you’d expect, Belichick wasn’t willing to talk about the past, but it was evident as he answered 15 or 20 minutes worth of questions that his passion for coaching hasn’t dissipated despite turning 70 this year. Belichick explained what the next few days would look like in a fairly excited (for him) tone.

“It’s always good to see everybody roll in here for camp,” he said when opening the press conference. “Today is really the first day on that but we’ve had people here for a week in various capacities. But it will be good to have everybody here today. We’ll get some of the preliminary things out of the way at the start of camp and by this afternoon. Then tomorrow when we get to the field, we’ll be able to kind of pick up where we left off at the end of the spring. It will be a very similar structure to that where we were with that veteran minicamp in terms of practice opportunity, meeting time and so forth. But that’s all part of the buildup for training camp which padded practices will begin the following week.

“Good to get it going, good to get started like I said build on the spring. Long way to go, we’ll take it one step at a time and just try to continue to improve every opportunity we get and certainly every day.”

Back in 2002, Tom Brady was the new golden boy coming off a stunning Super Bowl win. Now, Belichick has another young QB looking to make his mark. So far, the HC of the NEP is pleased with the progress Mac Jones has made.

“I think Mac’s done a great job. He’s worked extremely hard. He’s got a tremendous work ethic in all areas,” Belichick said. “I think there’s a dramatic improvement. His physical work and conditioning, working on his mechanics, working on his footwork, working on his understanding of our offense, of opponents defense, of situations all those things. We talk about all those things in various degrees some more emphasis than others and the emphasis on maybe some other things that will come later on. We can’t do it all at once, but he’s worked hard.

“He’s made tremendous strides. He did a great job last year but he’s starting it from a much much higher point this year than where he started last year. His offseason work has been significant. I think everyone recognizes how well he prepares and how much further along he is than he was a year ago.”

There are plenty of questions surrounding this year’s team, just like there was in 2002. Could they repeat? Was that year a fluke? Is Brady legitimate? Is the defense still good? Now, those questions swirl around with a lack of set coordinators, a young QB, a very young defense and a young wide receiver group.

The similarities are small, but they are still there 20-years later. There won’t be much rookie hazing, or meals in a dining hall or guys sleeping in bunk beds in a sweltering dorm room, but the biggest similarity that still exists is Belichick, who is still operating the exact same way. Is that a good or bad thing? Well, we’re about to find out.

“We’re not really big on titles and all that, so I think it’s important that we all work together and create a good final product, so that’s what we’re going to try to do. That’s what we’ve always done,” he said when pressed on the coordinator issue.

“Look, I’m the head coach, ultimately,” he added. “I’m responsible for everything. So, let’s leave it at that, that’s what it is.”