Bill Belichick's handshake with Bill O'Brien seemed a bit awkward

Bill Belichick doesn't usually say what he's feeling. But perhaps his handshakes can provide a glimmer of clarity.

Bill Belichick doesn’t usually say what he’s feeling. But perhaps his handshakes can provide a glimpse of clarity into the New England Patriots coach’s emotional state.

Belichick’s postgame exchange and handshake with Texans coach Bill O’Brien looked awfully cold after the Patriots lost, 28-22, to Houston on Sunday Night Football. Belichick gave O’Brien the same look-away handshake that he gave former New York Jets coach Eric Mangini after he instigated the Spygate scandal.

Belichick certainly had a few reasons to be bitter with O’Brien. Perhaps there was bad blood between the two coaches after the Texans attempted to interview Patriots director of player personnel Nick Caserio during the 2019 offseason. Belichick filed tampering charges against the Texans, which halted Houston’s pursuit of Caserio. That lead-up got us to this icy handshake on Sunday night.

Yup, that was awkward.

It was such an obviously tense moment that it became a point of conversation on Twitter. NFL fans and media members engaged in heated discussion about Belichick’s behavior.