The Bill Belichick era is no more.
After 24 seasons, the New England Patriots have reportedly agreed to mutually part ways with the man responsible for building the greatest dynasty in NFL history.
It couldn’t have been an easy decision for owner Robert Kraft, who was caught between a rock and a hard place. He was weighing more than a two decade-old working relationship with the greatest coach of all time, along with a clear need for change and new direction in New England.
The Patriots had fallen to 4-13 and last place in the AFC East division. They went from a perennial Super Bowl contender to the punchline in barbershops. Something clearly needed to change.
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
With that said, some would make a case that Belichick is still a phenomenal head coach. The biggest hang-up was his swings and misses in the draft and free agency, but those could have easily been rectified by stripping him of his general manager duties and hiring another executive. On Monday, Belichick even alluded to a willingness to step down from that role to stay with the Patriots.
And yet, the two sides still made the decision to part ways.
Belichick isn’t expected to retire from coaching, and he will likely land on his feet quickly with another team. The Patriots wanted change, and they finally have it. Now begins the long wait to see if that change was worth it.
