Bill Belichick, considered one of the greatest football head coaches of all time, is leaving the New England Patriots. According to multiple reports, Belichick and Pats’ owner Robert Kraft had a series of meetings in recent days and concluded to head their separate ways.
Belichick will leave the Patriots after coaching the franchise for the past 24 years. During that time, he won six Super Bowls and made three more Super Bowl trips while compiling a 266-121 record in the regular season and 30-12 in the playoffs.
Rumors about the 2023 season being Belichick’s last in New England have been circulating for a while now. The Patriots played poorly throughout the campaign and finished with a 4-13 record, missing the playoffs. This was only the sixth time that the Patriots didn’t make the playoffs under Belichick, but three of those six times came in the last four seasons.
Belichick is expected to continue his coaching career, looking to catch Don Shula as the winningest head coach in the history of the NFL. Belichick has 333 wins in the regular season and playoffs, trailing Shula’s 347 wins.
Several franchises are expected to make a move for Belichick after he officially leaves New England. The current favorites for his services are the Atlanta Falcons, who might appeal to Belichick due to their talented roster, and owner Arthur Blank, who doesn’t meddle in the day-to-day dealing of the franchise.
The Patriots, on the other hand, are embarking on only their third head-coaching search in the past 30 years. Linebackers coach Jerod Mayo is considered the favorite for the gig, while Kraft might also consider Mike Vrabel following his departure from the Tennessee Titans.
