After a 24 year journey, Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots are set to part ways on Thursday following a tumultuous season which saw the club go 4-13.
According to reports, Belichick and Patriots owner Robert Kraft spent the better part of this week meeting to discuss how best to move forward. The talks were supposedly amicable, with both sides ultimately coming to the mutual decision that it would be best to move in different directions heading into the offseason.
With both coach and owner leaving on “good terms” New England isn’t expected to seek compensation from any other NFL franchises if Belichick chooses to continue coaching elsewhere in 2024. The 71 year old is believed to still be heavily invested in continuing to coach, as he strives to chase down Don Shula’s all time NFL wins record of 347.
Former Patriots’ defender, turned linebackers coach Jerod Mayo is believed to be on a short list of candidates to replace Belichick in New England as the team will conduct its first round of head coaching interviews in nearly a quarter of a century. Also on that list is former Titans head coach Mike Vrabel who was fired earlier this week by Tennessee, but won 3 Super Bowls with New England as a player.
During his time with the team, Belichick helped guide the Pats to 9 Super Bowl appearances, 6 Super Bowl wins, 296 victories (including playoffs) and 17 division titles. However some will point towards a 29-38 record since quarterback Tom Brady left the team as a catalyst of that success.
While the “Brady or Belichick” debates will rage on for years to come, one cannot help but marvel at the consistency and overall success the Patriots franchise has had during the Bill Belichick era in Foxborough.
Kraft and the Patriots have announced a 12pm ET press conference to formally announce their plans for the team moving forward.
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