FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- New England Patriots football research director Ernie Adams has been a behind-the-scenes confidant of Bill Belichick over his 17-year tenure as head coach. He attends all practices and games, and is also part of the team's draft room, among other things.
On Wednesday, quarterback Tom Brady relayed the story of how Adams has influenced the team's passing game.
"You have to be able to make them defend the width of the field, the length of the field. Ernie once told me, ‘Make them defend every blade of grass.’ I think that’s a great thing to do," Brady said Wednesday before the team's first practice of the week in preparation for Sunday's game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Heinz Field.