Bill Belichick Departs Patriots After 24 Seasons
It really happened … head coach Bill Belichick is parting ways with the New England Patriots after nearly a quarter-century together, ESPN’s Adam Schefter and Mike Reiss first broke the news Thursday morning.
Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots are expected to part ways today after a remarkable 24 seasons together, ending an unmatched run in NFL history that included six Super Bowl titles, league sources tell me and @MikeReiss. pic.twitter.com/IcibaPpA4S
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 11, 2024
Since his hiring in 2000, he has been integral to six Super Bowls and nine AFC Championships. This is the closest to a modern-day dynasty in sports history. It also comes hours after Nick Saban’s retirement from Alabama, ironically enough.
To be clear: Belichick is not retiring. Belichick is set to enter his 50th season as an NFL coach and would be the first man to reach that milestone. Schefter also reported there is plenty of interest for the 71-year-old, including the Atlanta Falcons in particular.
While known for his defensive schemes, Belichick is a culture-builder. He is known in particular for the “Patriot Way,” which has revived and extended the careers of countless players. If you want to learn more, just look at the stats of players before and after their time in New England. His record in Foxboro is unmatched, with a 266-121 record in the regular season as well as 30-12 in the playoffs.
What Went Wrong?
The undoing of the Belichick-Kraft relationship is pretty clear. As soon as Tom Brady departed for Tampa Bay after the 2019 season, the rift seemed to grow more and more. Things reached a breaking point in 2023, as the search for Brady’s successor bore no fruit. Mac Jones has regressed considerably after his rookie year, and there’s no way Bailey Zappe is the answer. New England’s offense was the worst it’s ever been under Belichick, and ended unceremoniously with a 17-3 loss to the Jets last weekend at Gillette Stadium.
With a 4-13 record, things are gonna look very different once September rolls around. Kraft has the No. 3 pick in the 2024 draft and will almost certainly look to add the franchise quarterback to fill Brady’s shoes. However, he will also need a new head coach to help usher in a completely new era in the most successful team of the 21st century.
The biggest story in the NFL is coming to an end. After weeks of speculation, Bill Belichick is saying goodbye to the New England Patriots.
