Patriots quarterback Bailey Zappe and head coach Bill Belichick have moved past handshakes.

A video went viral after the Patriots’ Week 14 win over the Steelers showing the contrast in how Zappe celebrated with offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien and Belichick. Zappe and O’Brien slapped hands and hugged with big smiles on their faces, while Zappe walked up to Belichick stonefaced to shake the head coach’s hand.

The difference between how Zappe greeted O’Brien and then Belichick after Thursday’s win is just so good.

O’Brien? Like he’s one of the boys.

Belichick? Like he’s Zappe’s military father-in-law who will never forgive Zappe for not asking for his blessing.

(via @Patriots) pic.twitter.com/7QEn0NeUvV

— Andrew Callahan (@_AndrewCallahan) December 8, 2023

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There was a noticeable difference in a video the team put out after Zappe led the Patriots on his first career game-winning drive Sunday over the Broncos with Belichick and his QB smiling and hugging after the victory

I still can’t get over this photo pic.twitter.com/cW00pD5V3g

— Sophie Weller (@sophieewellerr) December 26, 2023

It seems that Zappe caught wind of the video after the Patriots’ win over the Steelers.

“The handshake thing, I told him when I walked in after the Broncos game, he reached out for the handshake, and I was like, ‘Coach, no more handshakes. Let’s go for a hug,’” Zappe said Tuesday on WEEI’s “Jones and Mego” show. “So that’s kind of how that all happened.”

Zappe said his relationship with Belichick has “definitely grown” since he was selected in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft.

“Me and him have always had a great relationship,” Zappe said. “I’ve always been able to walk into his office, ask any questions, and he’s been very open to answering anything I had questions about. … It’s awesome to be coached by one of the greatest, or the greatest of all-time. I come into the building every day happy to be able to learn from him, and kind of just be a sponge, and listen to everything he has to say about the entirety of the game of football.”

Zappe is 2-2 as a starter this season after he went 2-0 as a rookie. He replaced Mac Jones, who had been benched in four games, as the Patriots’ starting quarterback after Week 12. Zappe has played much better as a starter than he had in relief of Jones.