Heath Evans joined the Mut & Merloni Show on WEEI Radio Friday morning and said Eric Mangini "screwed (the) team over" in 2005 after interviewing with the New York Jets.
"In '05 Belichick gives Mangini permission to go interview with the Jets," said Evans. "He comes back -- basically, we all knew he was getting that job -- and spends the week recruiting front office staff and players to go with him. Not really doing his job. We go to Denver, lay an egg (in) Round 2 of the playoffs."
"We were underhanded a lot in that year in a lot of ways, but we still should have beaten that Denver Broncos team and at least gotten to the AFC championship game."
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The NFL Network analyst and former Patriots fullback compared the situation to the current team's addition of Josh McDaniels, but said that he didn't expect a similar ending.
"Not that Billy O'Brien would ever that, because I know Bill and he's not going to do that. But ultimately, when your mind's in two places -- which it almost has to be when you've committed your future to Penn State -- I think this was a good add and a timely add. Everyone hates it, 'Oh, this has got to be against the rules.' Well, it's not. This is Bill Belichick, always being ahead of everyone else."