After another week of NFL players around the league taking turns to slander 'The Patriot Way', it was only a matter of time before someone within the organisation bit back. Lane Johnson, now infamous for his full on detestation of New England and all that they stand for, was at it again this week but he wasn't the only one. Johnson's Eagles teammate and fellow O-Lineman Brandon Brooks led the charge  calling the Pats 'miserable', whilst former Patriot Cassius Marsh also chimed in with an inside take on what it's like to play under Bill Belichick. "They don't have fun there. There's nothing fun about it. There's nothing happy about it. I didn't enjoy any of my time there..." Marsh said.Johnson has been on somewhat of crusade to make the world aware of this fact, and attempt to open everyones eyes to how much better it is winning with the Eagles, and he's finally get some clap back from one of the leaders in the locker room in New England. Linebacker and team captain Dont'a Hightower, who's spent all six seasons of his professional career with the Patriots, spoke out to defend his team and the culture that it abides by after OTA's, Thursday. The 2016 Pro Bowler answered a flurry of questions regarding his return to full health after missing 14 games last season with a torn pectoral muscle before fielding a query regarding the comments of Johnson, Marsh and co over the past few months. "It's not for everybody," Hightower said. "It's definitely harder than most places, but I mean, that's part of it. A lot of guys know that when they come here. But, I mean, in the locker room, it's not Bill's job to make this fun and this atmosphere fun; it's the guys around it.""Every guy in that locker room, I love like a brother," the two-time Super Bowl champion added. "We have fun, whether it's out here struggling together -- blood, sweat and tears -- or we're back in the locker room or we're hanging out outside of football. So, there's a time and place for everything, but we know whenever we walk through the building, it's time to work."

As Hightower notes, Pats players may not experience the same kind of light-hearted environment that exists in some locker rooms on a day to day basis, but they enjoy doing what matters most and what they do better than anyone in the NFL; winning. 

That sentiment is shared by another of Belichick's defensive leaders and longtime stalwarts, Devin McCourty. 

"We got a couple guys here from Cleveland and they went 0-16, they told me that wasn't fun," McCourty said. "I am going to try and stay on this side of it."

It's true that the culture of relentless hard work isn't for everyone, but 'The Patriot Way' has had proven success and longevity because there are enough dedicated disciples that will come in the building every day willing to put in the kind of work that breeds winners. 

At the end of the day the NFL is about winning and the fact that the methods of the winningest coach of the modern era are being so vociferously questioned by mostly marginal players, and one loudmouth Eagles star, is frankly laughable.