Patriots coach Bill Belichick weeks ago stripped Alex Guerrero, Tom Brady's trainer and partner at TB12, of his "special team privileges, restoring a measure of tradition to the team’s medical and training operation," according to sources cited in a front-page piece by Bob Hohler of the BOSTON GLOBE. Guerrero is now "banned from boarding Patriots jets" and his "sideline access has been revoked." He also "no longer is permitted to treat players other than Brady in his exclusive office at Gillette Stadium." The development has "created some friction in Foxborough," but Belichick and Brady have "refused to publicly address a potentially distracting topic." Hohler notes in '15 it was reported that the Patriots' medical and training staff had "lodged complaints with Belichick about Guerrero’s expanding role with the team." Their concerns "involved Guerrero’s alternative treatment practices often clashing with their own methods." But by this season TB12’s client list has "grown to include most of the Patriots roster -- a unique arrangement" in the NFL. Sources said that with Guerrero "effectively involved in the health and training practices of much of the team, it’s not unusual for him and the Patriots medical and training staff to differ." Internal observers "believe that restricting Guerrero’s operations in the stadium might reduce some tension in the workplace" (BOSTON GLOBE, 12/20).
WHERE THERE'S SMOKE...: NBCSN's Mike Florio said, "There's something going on here. Something has caused the Patriots to decide to establish some distance between themselves and Alex Guerrero. I don't know what, but you look at it, and you say something is not right here. ... You have to wonder what it is that prompted this” (“PFT,” NBCSN, 12/20). ESPN's Max Kellerman called it the "right move" by Belichick, as the Patriots' training staff "is obviously not going to be happy about" having him around. Kellerman: "Belichick sees it as a potential problem. ... He is also protecting the team and he’s placating the training staff on top of all that." However, ESPN's Stephen A. Smith noted Brady has "missed one game" during his career outside of his '08 knee injury, so what Guerrero is doing "evidently is working." Smith: "If it’s working for Tom Brady and other guys want to use him -- if they know they have that personnel available to them and still elect to use the guy that Tom Brady is using -- then what’s the damn problem?” (“First Take,” ESPN, 12/20). In Boston, Eric Wilbur wonders if Guerrero's absence is a "reason for Brady’s downtick over the last few weeks." But he asks, "If it comes down to Guerrero or Belichick in a perceivable pick ‘em, who do you think loses out; the one who drafted him and helped him to seven Super Bowls, or the guy who has convinced him pliability and drinking water are the keys to life?" (BOSTON.com, 12/19).
