Bill Belichick congratulates Patriots’ Keion White after Week 1 outing

Bill Belichick remained relatively tight-lipped about the Patriots’ season-opening victory, but he was willing to give high marks to one of their most notable players in their 16-10 triumph over the Bengals.

On the latest episode of “Inside the NFL,” former Patriots defensive end Chris Long named Patriots rusher Keion White as his Week 1 Football Guy. With fellow “Inside the NFL” panelists Ryan Clark nominating 49ers running back Jordan Mason and Chad Johnson nominating Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield, Belichick singled out Long for Week 1 Football Guy.

“I have to give Keion White a chance,” Belichick said. “First of all, I love Keion White. He can play outside. He can play inside. He’s tough, strong and can really play the run. He can play the pass. He just needs a little more experience and technique. You saw what he did in Week 1.”

White, who was selected in the second round of Belichick’s last draft by the Patriots in 2023, opened his sophomore season with one of the league’s best defensive performances in Week 1. He recorded four total tackles and 2.5 sacks, surpassing the number he already had as a rookie in 2023. He also had three run stops, according to Pro Football Focus.

White also forced a fumble on the Bengals’ first drive. Cincinnati was able to recover the ball, but the play caught the attention of Long, who called White an “absolute monster.”

“That guy ruined the game the other day,” Long said. “On the second play of the game, he made an inside move and took the ball [Joe] Burrow. This guy has no gloves, he doesn’t wear gloves. Bill says he doesn’t smile. That’s the definition of a football player. I love that kid. He can win all the way.

As Belichick noted, White is a relative newbie for a 25-year-old. He transitioned from tight end to defensive end midway through his college career, having played the position for just two years before entering the NFL. While White had just one sack as a rookie, he recorded 20 pressures and was considered one of the Patriots’ best players during training camp.

White’s emergence and Week 1 performance already hint at his place on the team in the years to come. Former Patriots linebacker Rob Ninkovich said the team should consider extending White when it gets the chance. White is not eligible for an extension until the 2025 season.

Before Friday’s episode of “Inside the NFL,” Belichick had actually said very little about his former team’s upset victory in their first game without him. He wasn’t asked about it during his appearances on “The Pat McAfee Show” and “ManningCast” on Monday.

Belichick, however, showed his lighter side during the “Football Guy” segment on “Inside the NFL” when the team discussed Mason, who rushed for 147 yards in the 49ers’ win over the Jets.

“Jordan Mason, what a guy. Reminds me of Jonah Gray when he ran for 220 yards for me and was inactive the next week,” Belichick said. “But that guy, great performance.”

If you recall, Jonas Gray was an undrafted running back who rushed for 199 yards and a franchise-record four touchdowns in a game against the Colts in 2014. That performance earned him a spot on the cover of Sports Illustrated the following week. He only ran for one more touchdown in his NFL career after that game, being benched for a week after the Colts game due to being late to practice.

49ers fans are certainly hoping Mason doesn’t follow a similar trajectory. San Francisco coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters Friday that Christian McCaffrey could be placed on injured reserve, which would sideline him for four games, including the Week 4 matchup against New England.