The team captain is turning to 1,900-year-old writing to help guide the Patriots.
In hopes of turning their 2024 season back around, the New England Patriots cannot afford to leave any stone unturned or any wisdom unheard. Defensive lineman Deatrich Wise Jr. is taking that to heart.
Speaking about the frustrations and challenges faced by his team so far this season, the three-year captain turned to an ancient text to serve as a source of inspiration: the Meditations, a collection of philosophical texts written between 161 and 180 A.D. by Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius.
For Wise Jr., the words of a man who has been dead for over 1,800 years are describing the Patriots’ mindset at 1-3 and with questions all across the board.
“I wouldn’t say we’re frustrated. I’d say there are challenges,” he explained during a press conference on Wednesday. “To those out there who are real competitors, goal-getters, night owls, early-morning people, there are always challenges that you face in life that you have to go get through, whatever that may be. This is one of those challenges.
“It’s almost like this is the game within the game: learning how to face those challenges. I want to say it was Marcus Aurelius who said, ‘Whatever is in the way becomes the way.’ That’s kind of what it is. Whatever is in our way right now — you may say it’s an issue, whatever it is — that becomes now the challenge that we have to face. That’s what we’re doing.”
The Patriots started their 2024 campaign off on the right foot, celebrating a 16-10 upset win over the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 1. Since then, however, they have trended in the wrong direction. Much like Marcus Aurelius’ opponents in the Marcomannic Wars, New England suffered a string of defeats and lost some key personnel along the way.
The team of first-year head coach Jerod Mayo came up short in its next three games, including twice in blowout fashion. Team captains Ja’Whaun Bentley and David Andrews both suffered season-ending injuries in the process, while several other players are banged up as well.
New England has 15 players listed on its most recent injury report before the upcoming Week 5 contest against the Miami Dolphins. Four of those, including a soon-to-be-sent-to-injured-reserve Andrews, are currently non-participants in practice.
All things considered, the Patriots’ outlook at the moment is rather bleak. However, Wise Jr. is confident in the team’s ability to adapt and turn things around.
“It’s October,” he said. “I feel like we have a lot more ball left. If you judge us now, you judge us prematurely.”