FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Quick-hit thoughts and notes around the New England Patriots and NFL:
1. Scar's view: Few have earned the respect of the Patriots' fan base like longtime offensive line coach Dante Scarnecchia, who was inducted into the team's Hall of Fame in 2023 after a decorated 34-year career with the franchise.
It has been five seasons since Scarnecchia retired, and while he says he doesn't miss the grind of coaching, after back-to-back 4-13 seasons, he misses the days when the Patriots were a perennial playoff contender. Scarnecchia is optimistic things could be trending back in that direction.