Questions about Bill Belichick’s future in New England have quickly ramped up following the team’s ugly 1-3 start.
On one hand, it’s impossible to envision Patriots’ owner Robert Kraft wanting to fire the greatest head coach of all-time. Belichick coached the Patriots to six Super bowl championships between the 2001 and 2018 seasons and sits third on the career coaching wins list (299).
But this a results-oriented business. The Patriots are 26-29 since Tom Brady left town in 2020, with zero playoff victories. Could another down year in Foxborough prompt Kraft to cut ties with the future Hall of Famer?
Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated was recently asked by a fan about Belichick potentially getting fired this year. The NFL insider opines that instead of outright canning Belichick, Kraft could make moves “that hasten Belichick’s departure from” Foxborough:
“A lot of people are focused on Mac Jones. I get it. He hasn’t been great, and it’s fair to question just how limited he is—Sunday, we got a look at how it looks when he has to carry the team. But, to me, the problem is larger than the quarterback. And, again, if Kraft feels like it’s really dire, maybe he forces a restructuring to empower and or add to the scouting department. Which could cause Belichick to throw his hands up and walk.
I know a lot needs to happen to force Belichick’s departure. But if things don’t get better, I don’t think such a scenario playing out is all that unrealistic.”
Given all Belichick has done for the organization, one can only assume that the two sides would “mutually part ways”. Jerry Jones loathed Jimmy Johnson and wanted to move on after the Dallas Cowboys won a second straight Super Bowl in 1993, but they ultimately agreed on the split.
Click on ‘Follow Us’ and get notified of the most viral NFL stories via Google! Follow Us
Of course, all of this Belichick-leaving-the-Patriots talk is a moot point if the club can somehow get back on a winning track. The Pats will try to start a turnaround this Sunday when they host the 2-2 New Orleans Saints.
