Patriots coach Bill Belichick calls Matt Corral's exempt/left squad designation 'a personal matter'
New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick refused to go into details about the status of backup quarterback Matt Corral, whom the team placed on the exempt/left squad list Saturday.
“He’s in exempt status, and I don’t have any comment on it," Belichick said after the Patriots' Week 1 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. “That’s a personal matter.”
Corral reportedly didn't shown up for team practices, walkthroughs or meetings for two days at the end of last week. The Patriots claimed Corral off waivers after the team released QB Bailey Zappe ahead of Week 1. Corral, 24, was a third-round pick by the Carolina Panthers in 2022 but missed his entire rookie season with a foot injury.
Belichick did confirm the team had been in contact with Corral since his unprompted departure.
The mystery surrounding why Corral left the team remains unknown. The exempt/left squad list opens up a roster spot for a team without releasing the player. Corral can return to the Patriots as long as he remains on the list. The Patriots reportedly re-signed Zappe to serve as Mac Jones' primary backup.
