New Broncos head coach Josh McDaniels is taking a page out of former boss Bill Belichick’s playbook – only this time it has nothing to do with football Xs and Os.

Belichick, the New England Patriots head coach, is notoriously press averse. Here’s how ESPN columnist Gene Wojciechowski described Belichick’s relationship with the media: “His reluctance, even disdain, for talking to reporters remains legendary. His news conferences, if you want to call them that, are famous for the lengths Belichick will go to reveal absolutely nothing.”

McDaniels, who joined the Broncos this year after serving as a longtime Belichick assistant, appears to share his former mentor’s disdain for open and frequent dialogue with the media. This lack of transparency is partly why the Broncos ended up parting ways with star quarterback Jay Cutler, who became miffed after the team entertained trade offers. The originally proposed trade never materialized, but Cutler has said he felt betrayed and demanded a trade anyway.

There’s plenty of blame to go around in this soap opera, including for Cutler, who has come across as a petulant superstar with a bruised ego. But the media relations strategy used by McDaniels and the Broncos significantly contributed to the controversy and the unfixable rift between player and coach. Instead of proactively discussing the dispute with the media and fans, McDaniels relied on prepared statements and conference calls, waiting more than three weeks before publicly discussing the feud.

Bill Belichick

And when he finally did discuss the matter, McDaniels did not own up to any mistakes or make assurances that he was taking steps to alleviate the dispute – sometimes among the cardinal rules of crisis communications. In fact, McDaniels has held just a handful of press conferences since taking control of the franchise on Jan. 12, including just one in Denver before the Cutler trade was consummated. That is simply not enough for a rookie head coach looking to win over a new team and fan base.

It is possible McDaniels’ hard stance was aimed at showing Cutler and the other Broncos that no one player, including a Pro Bowl quarterback, is bigger than the team. This is a strategy Belichick has used successfully for nearly a decade in New England, and it is likely McDaniels wanted to institute the same culture in Denver. Both coaches want to rule with an iron fist. The difference is that Belichick’s hand is strengthened by weight of three Super Bowl rings won as a head coach.