Sean McDermott ‘certainly appreciated’ Bill Belichick’s lengthy postgame chat

“Yeah, I mean, listen, I’ve been on the other side of it before,” McDermott told reporters, per Radio.com. “And so he was very complimentary, and I certainly appreciate that. And as you mentioned, a lot of respect for what he’s been able to do. So I just think it says a lot about the way we’re doing things as an organization, not just on the field what people see, but off the field.

“It’s not just the team I’m talking about. It’s the extended team, the way we do things, in ticketing, community relations, the business side of our operation and organization, so I just think it’s a standard across the board, not just on the field.”

Monday’s beatdown capped a regular-season sweep for the Bills over the Patriots for the first time since 1999. The loss by the Patriots (6-9) also ensures the team’s first losing season under Belichick since his first year at the helm in 2000, though there has been some speculation that there may be a method to Patriots boss’ approach to this unorthodox season.

The Bills and Patriots obviously have gone in opposite directions in 2020. First, the season will conclude without the Patriots being crowned AFC East champions for the first time since 2008. The Bills (12-3), meanwhile, are not only owners of the AFC East title for the first time since 1995, the team enters Week 17 as the No. 2 seed in the AFC.

All that said, the patently curmudgeonly and occasionally standoffish Belichick deserves credit for exhibiting some postgame class despite how thoroughly his team was beaten.

“He’s a legend in terms of what he’s been able to do and I certainly appreciate that and I’m humbled by it,” McDermott added.