Bill Belichick’s Army of History Buffs

There are a few traits you need as a New England Patriot. You need to have versatility and the ability to perform different roles. You also must become a history buff.

Sure, to be on the Patriots you need a firm command of how to beat a Cover 2 defense on third down, but if you’re going to keep up with coach Bill Belichick, you are also going to need to know the general narrative of World War I or the stylings of Dwight Eisenhower. And this can get complicated.

“There are lot of references that are made. Some you are right in line with. Some you just say, ‘OK, hold on, I’m going to go look that up,’ ” said Patriots defensive coordinator Matt Patricia, who studied aeronautical engineering in college.