New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick said in a statement on Friday that the benching of wide receiver Aaron Dobson did not stem from an argument with the coaching staff.
Aaron Dobson not benched for back talk, Bill Belichick says
Belichick denied a report that the wide receiver has been listed as inactive as punishment for an argument with Josh McDaniels.
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“In my year and a half with Aaron Dobson, he has always been respectful to me and to the rest of the coaching staff,” the statement read. “He has never once been argumentative or confrontational. The suggestion and reporting that his playing time was in any way the result of a ‘loud disagreement’ with a coach is completely false.”
Dobson, a second-round pick in 2013, has been listed as inactive for the past three games. Shalise Manza Young of the Boston Globe reported Thursday that he was benched for talking back to offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels. The report claimed Dobson and McDaniels were involved in at least one loud disagreement.
Belichick denied that Dobson’s inactivity is punitive. When asked why the receiver won’t play Sunday vs. the Cincinnati Bengals, Belichick simply replied, “Football,” according to ESPN.
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