Patriots head coach Bill Belichick did not give any insight to reporters after their Week 18 loss against the New York Jets.
For months, there has been constant speculation about whether Bill Belichick will return as the Patriots’ head coach for his 25th year next season.
In his opening statement after the Patriots 17-3 loss to the Jets, Belichick reiterated his feelings on the 2023 season:
“Disappointing season,” Belichick told reporters. “For players, coaches, staffers, and the entire organization…Not anything that any of us are in any way content with, but it is what it is.”
Before Belichick took questions from the assembled media, he said he wasn’t going to answer any questions about his future with the Patriots. But he did confirm he will be meeting with Robert Kraft in the near future.
“I’ll address some questions on the game. As far as the future goes, I’ll sit down with Robert as I do every year at some point at the end of the season, and we’ll talk about things as we always do. I’m sure that’ll happen. But that’s really about all I have to say about that right now because there isn’t anything else to talk about.”
The Patriots finished the year with a 4-13 record, placing last in the AFC East for the first time since 2000. Belichick has lost more games this season than any previous year. However, it hasn’t impacted his ability to coach, and everything has been “normal” for the Patriots this season, a source inside the Patriots locker room told The Patriots Beat.
I was also told that Bill Belichick has kept quiet with his full plans, and many people inside the Patriots organization have “no idea” what the coach will do.
Belichick has always remained tight-lipped with the media about his future and most certainly his contract.
“If I was going to do anything, I’d put it out there on Twitter and “MyFace”, so everybody could see it,” Belichick said last Monday during his weekly interview on “The Greg Hill Show.” “If I don’t do that, then I’ll just keep it private.
It’s important to note there have been several reports in the last few weeks about Bill Belichick, but a league source told The Patriots Beat it’s truly up in the air. Nonetheless, Mike Reiss of ESPN – one of the most trustworthy reporters inside Foxboro – reported on ESPN Sunday morning that no final decision has been made, but the belief is that both sides are nearing a breakup.
If that happens, according to a source, Jerod Mayo will be at the top of the list of candidates Robert Kraft will look at. It’s unclear if Kraft would even hire someone within the building but Mayo would be at the top of the list if he chooses to do so. It’s been reported since the beginning of the season Mayo could overtake Belichick as head coach.
When Patriots reporters asked Belichick about his future after the Week 18 loss, Belichick remained non-committed.
“I just finished the game here with the Jets, put everything I had into it, and I’m disappointed in the results,” Belichick said.
Belichick has stated he still loves coaching, and it’s very unlikely he would step away from coaching. If he wants to stay with the Patriots, however, Belichick might have to give something up: his general manager title. If he tells Robert Kraft he’s willing to sway from his defacto General Manager duties, that could go a long way toward staying with the Patriots long-term. If that were to happen and Belichick remains as head coach without GM duties, NFL Insider Ian Rapoport reported on Sunday morning that former Raiders GM David Ziegler and former Titans GM Jon Robinson would be two options that the Patriots could consider.
Nevertheless, it would be surprising if the Patriots go that route and hire a general manager with Belichick staying as the head coach. Kraft has never had to hire a general manager, with Belichick working in the personnel department for years. In recent years, it’s been known Belichick has made some questionable hiring decisions. Passing on a generational quarterback like Lamar Jackson or an elite receiver like A.J. Brown has left Patriots fans in doubt of Belichick’s drafting duties.
The other scenario involves both sides going their separate ways. If that happens, the Patriots would receive no trade compensation for Belichick’s departure. That should sound familiar, as that’s what happened in 2020 when Tom Brady and the Patriots parted ways. If that’s the case, Belichick would unquestionably have interest from around the league. It’s important to note that Belichick is 71 and probably won’t want to join a team in a rebuild. There have been various reports with teams being floated around as possible landing spots. As Dianna Russini reported earlier in the week, several teams would be interested in Belichick if he were made available.
Currently, Belichick is 14 wins away from overtaking Don Shula and becoming the winningest NFL head coach of all time. Don Shula earned 347 victories, with Belichick ending the 2023 season with 333 victories. Since Brady left, the Patriots have only had one playoff appearance and have posted three losing seasons.
People expecting this to be a quick decision will be in for a surprise. Mark Daniels of Mass Live reported the meeting between Belichick and Kraft could extend a couple days.
The Patriots will be in for a franchise-altering off-season with decisions looming on coaching changes. But for now, no one really knows what’s going to happen, and it could very well be a long offseason of rumors and news.
My name is Ben Belford-Peltzman and I am the creator and writer of The Patriots Beat. I am a 17-year kid who is an optimistic pessimist about the City of Champions. I started The Patriots Beat in August of 2022 and never expected to grow so much but here we are. Feel free to email Thepatriotsbeat@gmail.com with any inquires.
