Patriots' McCourty, Hightower defend Belichick's coaching style

A pair of New England Patriots veterans threw water Thursday on the idea that head coach Bill Belichick doesn't let his players have fun on their quest for championships.

"We've got a couple guys here who were in Cleveland and went 0-16," defensive captain Devin McCourty said, according to Jeff Howe of The Athletic. "They said that wasn't fun."

Several outsiders have questioned this offseason whether Belichick's demanding ways are wearing on some of his star players.

Former Patriots linebacker Cassius Marsh, now with the San Francisco 49ers, said recently he "hated" his time in New England and all but asked to be released midseason so he could find a more enjoyable work environment.

"I mean, to each his own," linebacker Dont'a Hightower told reporters, according to the Patriots' website. "I don't really have anything to say to them. I mean, guys here, I know - I mean, it's not for everybody. It's definitely harder than most places, but I mean, that's part of it. A lot of guys know that when they come here. But, I mean, in the locker room, it's not Bill's job to make this fun and this atmosphere fun; it's the guys around it.

"Every guy in that locker room, I love like a brother. We have fun, whether it's out here struggling together - blood, sweat, and tears - or we're back in the locker room or we're hanging out outside of football. So, there's a time and place for everything, but we know whenever we walk through the building, it's time to work."

Fun to play for or not, Belichick has led the Patriots to the Super Bowl in three of the last four seasons, winning the Vince Lombardi Trophy twice.

"We feel what's important to us is to win, so that's really what we're trying to do," Belichick told reporters, according to ESPN's Mike Reiss.

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