Bill Belichick admits Patriots made a mistake passing on Lamar Jackson in 2018 Draft

Lamar Jackson, two-time NFL MVP, was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens as the 32nd pick in the 2018 NFL Draft.

Bill Belichick admits Patriots made a mistake passing on Lamar Jackson in 2018 Draft

Lamar Jackson, Bill Belichick (Images via Getty Images)

Since Tom Brady‘s departure in 2019, the New England Patriots have struggled to regain their former dominance. They’ve made just one playoff appearance, in 2021, where they were eliminated in the Wild Card round by the Buffalo Bills. The absence of a true franchise quarterback—someone capable of replicating Brady’s leadership and impact has been a major factor in the team’s decline.

The Brady-Belichick era is undoubtedly one of the best seen in the history of sports. However, there were internal conflicts and tensions between them as with any such pairing. Eventually, the tensions became too much before Brady jumped ship in 2020 and led the Bucs to a Super Bowl, proving his ability to succeed on his own. Bill Belichick, after a stint of disappointing runs, was fired in 2023 and, after a hiatus of one year, returned to coaching with the UNC Tar Heels.

YouTube video

Now, in hindsight, Belichick has begun to reflect more openly on the decisions that shaped the Patriots’ post-Brady struggles, including one that continues to haunt him: passing on Lamar Jackson in the 2018 NFL Draft.

The admission comes in his upcoming release, “The Art of Winning”. Ben Volin of the Boston Globe, who received a copy ahead of the release, broke the information while critiquing the book. Volin reviewed the book as a nice read, but argued that the book is not deep and doesn’t give much insight into the several scandals throughout his time. Furthermore, it also doesn’t have a single mention of “Kraft” anywhere in the book, as per Volin.

However, Volin noted that there’s a chapter called “Mistakes” in which Belichick details some of the mistakes he made. In the list of things, passing on Lamar Jackson was mentioned as a key one.

Where the book falls short is chapter 10, ‘Mistakes.” Belichick does admit to a few — not drafting Lamar Jackson in 2018; leaving defensive tackle Dan Klecko off the gameday roster in Super Bowl 38 vs. the Panthers; cutting a player who was swimming with his family in the pool at a team party on Cape Cod; and all of the players he wanted to keep but couldn’t for financial reasons, Brady chief among them.

Ben Volin wrote in his review for the Boston Globe

The book is set to release on May 6, 2025.

The Patriots missed on Lamar Jackson not once but twice

Lamar Jackson was the final pick of the first round in the 2018 NFL Draft. The Baltimore Ravens selected him at No. 32 overall after trading up with the Philadelphia Eagles despite his low rating then. Notably, 28 different teams passed on Jackson that night, including the Ravens with their earlier pick. Baltimore had already selected tight end Hayden Hurst at No. 25 before trading up again for Jackson.

Lamar Jackson
Lamar Jackson (Image via IMAGO)

The New England Patriots passed on Jackson not once, but twice in that same first round. They chose offensive lineman Isaiah Wynn at No. 23 and running back Sony Michel at No. 31. Neither player remained with the franchise beyond their rookie contract, offering little long-term value.

Belichick’s decision not to select Jackson now stands as a pivotal mistake in hindsight. Jackson’s dual-threat ability offered a new offensive dimension that the Patriots never found in later quarterbacks. With an immediate answer to who will take on the helm after Tom Brady, the rest of Belichick’s reign would have looked different. Maybe he would still be coaching the Patriots.

Related: 3 reasons why the 2025 NFL season will be ‘make or break’ for Joe Burrow