AFC Notes: Bills, Dolphins, Jets, Patriots

Bills

• Per the Athletic’s Joe Buscaglia, Bills CB Tre’Davious White and G Cody Ford did not practice Wednesday, while CB Josh Norman did. 
• Bills C Mitch Morse also returned to practice after exiting the concussion protocol. (Chris Brown)
• Bills activated TE Tommy Sweeney from the COVID-19 list.

Dolphins

• Per Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald, Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa acknowledged on the one-year anniversary of his dislocated hip that he was still dealing with some effects from the injury: “I don’t know that I’ll ever be my old self … It’s been a journey.”
• Tagovailoa said that’s why he wanted to give the game ball to HC Brian Flores after Sunday’s win against the Cardinals, to thank Flores for taking a shot on him after such a catastrophic injury: “It was just one of those, ‘Thank you for taking a shot on me.’ Like I said a year ago, who would’ve known? . . . But the Miami Dolphins decided to take a chance on me. That’s awesome.” (Safid Deen)

Jets

• Jets QB Sam Darnold said shoulder surgery is “not on the table” after several doctors did not recommend operating as an option. (Rich Cimini)
• Jets claimed CB Corey Ballentine off of waivers from the Giants. (NFLTR)

Patriots

Patriots HC Bill Belichick called leaving the New York Jets back in 1999 one of the “most defining” and “great moments” of his career. 

“(That was) not only one of the most defining, but one of the great moments of my career,” said Belichick, via ESPN.com. “That, combined with Robert (Kraft) giving me the opportunity to come here, I couldn’t have asked for anything more.”

Belichick explained that the Jets weren’t a good situation for him and Patriots’ owner Robert Kraft “gave up quite a bit” to sign him after spending one day as New York’s head coach before resigning. 

“That wasn’t a good situation for me, and I didn’t want to be any part of it. So, I wasn’t. The other half of that was Robert giving me the opportunity to come here, and trading, he gave up quite a bit to get me to come here. That was a big trade. So I’m very thankful that it worked out.”

Belichick reiterated how grateful he is to be a part of the Patriots organization. 

“I appreciate all the support from Robert and the Kraft family and the Patriots organization and all the New England fans. I’ll just keep trying to do my best for this team and this organization, giving the very best that I can,” Belichick said. “I’m very thankful for the opportunity to come here. I just wasn’t going to stay there in that situation.”