Could this be coach Bill Belichick’s last season on the sidelines with the New England Patriots?
When appearing on “Arbella Early Edition,” NBC Sports Boston’s Tom E. Curran indicated that a decision has been made to part ways with Belichick following the conclusion of the 2023 season. Per Curran, the decision was made after the international game in Germany against the Indianapolis Colts on November 12.
The Patriots lost that game by a 10-6 margin. Mac Jones was benched in the second half of the game. But even with Bailey Zappe under center, the team was never able to find its footing. It was also clear that multiple miscues throughout the game had president Jonathan Kraft visibly frustrated.
Curran indicated that the Indianapolis game was the final straw for Belichick.
“When they came out of Germany, the conversations I had that week made it very clear that a decision was made,” Curran said. “They were going to play out the string, and at the end of the year, there would be a parting of the ways, for a variety of reasons.”
“..It had gone too far. The Germany game, the Commanders game, the Saints game—all huge, marquee games. And then there was the Chargers game after that. Just because they won last week in Pittsburgh in primetime, I don’t think it quells anything.”
Former Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski recently said that he expects Belichick to still be the Patriots’ coach in 2024.
One thing is clear: The Patriots are trending toward a murky future with no clear direction as of right now. With that said, they’re projected to have the second-most cap space in the league and possibly one of the top-three picks in the 2024 NFL draft.
They’ll have the assets to get back on track assuming they have the right man captaining the ship.
