Twas the night before Christmas, and all through Gillette,

Not a player was stirring, it was long past sunset

The game plans were ready, and were all locked away

The playoffs were coming, tomorrow was Christmas Day;

The players were sleeping, all quiet in their homes,

But someone was stirring, in Gillette’s catacombs

I was driving Route One, going home Christmas Eve

When something caught my eye, I was tempted to disbelieve;

From the highway I saw, and now I was certain

An office light was on, although closed was the curtain

My curiosity aroused, I drove straight into the lot

All the parking spaces were empty, except one particular spot;

I crept to the window, and what to my wondering eyes did appear,

But a man in a hoodie with a look that inspires fear

It was hard to believe, but my eyes were playing no trick

I knew in a moment, it must be Coach Belichick;

He was dressed in a sweatshirt, sleeveless of course

He didn’t look like a Jedi, but he could master the Force

A tablet in hand, and an overflowing briefcase

The world was asleep, but not at Patriot Place;

I assumed he was working, on new plays for the Pats

He was focused on winning, who cared about stats?

No Ravens this year, and no running Blount all over Indy

But two games in Foxboro, where it will be cold and windy;

He was serious for sure, a man on a mission

"AFC Finalist" banner was not his tradition

A wink of his eye and a twist of his head

Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread;

He clearly was plotting, new strategies and schemes

Formations and plays, that would flummox other teams

"It’s not fair" they would cry, "that’s unfair deception,"

"How can the Left Tackle be allowed to make that reception?"

I was waiting for the Coach, to pack up and leave

but soon realized, my anticipation was naive

He would be there much longer, plotting the Broncos demise

And figuring how, to cut the Bengals down to size;

As I turned to go home, I saw headlights approaching

It was Brady I suspected, in for Christmas Eve coaching

While I had to go home, it was late and I was tardy

They’d be staying up late, they want one more Lombardi