Vince Wilfork addresses 'The Dynasty' controversy, Bill Belichick departure

It sounds like former New England Patriots nose tackle Vince Wilfork won't be rushing to watch Apple TV's "The Dynasty" docuseries after he heard how that project portrayed former head coach Bill Belichick. 

"I didn’t like the comments of how it went," Wilfork recently told Jordy McElroy of Patriots Wire/USA Today. "So I just stay away from it. I’m going to tell you like I tell everybody else. Bill Belichick is the best head coach that ever coached the game of football." 

Wilfork played under Belichick from 2004-14 and earned a pair of Super Bowl rings over that time. 

Tight end Rob Gronkowski, safety Devin McCourty, fellow safety Rodney Harrison, Super Bowl LIII Most Valuable Player Julian Edelman and longtime team captain Matthew Slater are among the former Patriots players who have defended Belichick regarding how they felt he was depicted throughout "The Dynasty." Patriots owner Robert Kraft said that he wished those responsible for the documentary embraced "more of a real positive approach." Legendary offensive line coach and assistant head coach Dante Scarnecchia has insisted he won't be watching the program anytime soon. 

It was heavily suggested during "The Dynasty" that Belichick's treatment of quarterback Tom Brady during the second half of the 2010s was a major reason Brady left the Patriots to sign with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in March 2020. Kraft essentially showed the six-time Super Bowl champion head coach the door this past January after New England missed the playoffs for a third time following Brady's departure. 

"I was sad to see him go, but like I tell people all of the time, all good things come to an end," Wilfork said about Belichick. "I’m glad to say I’ve been coached by the greatest coach of all time. I played with the greatest quarterback of all time. I have that stuff to tell my kids and my grandkids when they’re reading about the Patriots of the 2000s. Their grandad can be like, 'Yeah, I was part of that.'" 

New Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo played under Belichick from 2008-15 and then served on Belichick's coaching staff from 2019 through this past season. Wilfork said he's happy his "brother" received an opportunity to replace Belichick, and Wilfork added that he hopes Mayo is given "the time to build that team and get us back the way we need to go." 

The Patriots ended Belichick's final season in charge with a 4-13 record.