After Bill Belichick led the New England Patriots to a second dynasty in the 2010s decade (Super Bowl championships in the 2014, 2016 and 2018 seasons), one thing felt clear and obvious: He would continue coaching the franchise until he decided he didn’t want to anymore.
But life comes at you fast in the NFL. The Patriots haven’t won a playoff game in four straight years, and they’ve suffered losing seasons in two of the last three years (7-9 in 2020 and 8-9 in 2022).
If the Patriots endure another disappointing year in 2023, could New England owner Robert Kraft do the unthinkable and fire the greatest coach in NFL history?
Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio analyzed the seemingly building tension between Belichick and Kraft. The veteran NFL insider wonders if Kraft could look at moving on from the six-time Super Bowl-winning head coach:
“The Patriots are at a crossroads. The relationship between owner Robert Kraft and coach Bill Belichick seems to be at a crossroads, too.
And even with six Super Bowl trophies delivered by Belichick having full control over the football operations, there’s a shelf life for everyone who isn’t winning. Since winning Super Bowl LIII, Belichick hasn’t been winning…
We all know how these things will go. In the ultimate game of rock, scissors, paper, Kraft owns all three. He’s in charge. What he says, goes. Who he says goes. And if Belichick fails to deliver a playoff appearance or if he runs the postseason victory drought to half of a decade, he’s the one who could be going.
It sounds crazy, I know. Belichick is one of the great coaches in NFL history. Since Brady, however, his teams have been just above ordinary. At some point, a sufficient stretch of failure wipes out a history of excellence. At some point, the past will have faded from the rear-view mirror. At some point, Kraft will decide to turn the page.
And he’ll be more likely to do it sooner than later if Belichick keeps trying to blame Kraft for failures that, in Kraft’s mind, trace only to Belichick.”
Florio also cited comments from Kraft at the league meetings in Arizona back in March. When Kraft was asked if Belichick’s job was in danger, or if he’d simply be in Foxborough to break Don Shula’s all-time coaching wins record.
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Kraft replied, “We’re about winning, and doing whatever we can to win. And that’s what our focus is now. And I — it’s very important to me that we make the playoffs, and that’s what I hope happens next year.”
Shula is first all time in wins among coaches with 328, followed by George Halas at 318. Belichick is third at 298, but he should definitely surpass Shula as a Patriot as long as Kraft is willing to give him a few more years at the helm.
The bottom line: Belichick can ease any tension with Kraft and erase questions about his job security if he can help the Patriots regain their status as an AFC contender following a disappointing 2022 season.
