Coming back to beat the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl LI wasn't enough for Bill Belichick. He had to pour salt in the still open wound.
During Super Bowl weekend in New Orleans, Belichick was seen walking around town with his 24-year-old girlfriend, Jordon Hudson, who was wearing a Falcons Super Bowl champions t-shirt.
The shirt was an obvious dig at the Falcons, who blew the biggest lead in Super Bowl history against Belichick and the New England Patriots in the game.
With shots fired, Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio wondered aloud during an interview with Falcons head coach Raheem Morris if perhaps he could get back at Belichick for the diss. Specifically, Florio suggested Morris could wear Duke gear during the week Belichick's North Carolina Tar Heels take on their top rival.
Morris, though, wants no part of any trash talk with Belichick.
"No, I got so much respect for arguably the greatest coach in the history of our game," Morris said in response. "It's just like, there's no need for me to do that.
"I got so much respect for Bill and what he's done throughout his career, and all the things that he's done in this game."
Morris added that: "I understand the rift I had nothing to do with. But I will not be wearing any gear going against UNC."
Social media users were quick to point out that Morris was part of the 2016 Falcons, who blew a 25-point lead to the Patriots in the Super Bowl. Morris was an assistant head coach and wide receivers coach for the Falcons at the time.
But the rift Morris was referencing is the one between the Falcons management and Belichick. The Falcons were reportedly close to hiring Belichick last offseason, but the organization did an about-face and hired Morris instead.
Florio, who is such an outspoken critic of the Falcons that many in the fan base consider him a Falcons hater, seemed disappointed in Morris' answer. But Florio and Morris laughed throughout the entire exchange.
Morris concluded the conversation calling Florio the "king of controversy."
It might be fun if Morris wore a Duke shirt ahead of Belichick's first showdown with his new school's biggest rival. But Morris has no ties to Duke, so it wouldn't really make much sense.
Morris, a New Jersey native, played college football at Hofstra in New York state. He began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at his alma mater in 1998.
The only other schools where he has coached are Cornell and Kansas State. Morris has coached in the NFL for every season but one since the league realigned their divisions 23 years ago.
