Prior to pushing the Bills in Week 17, the Patriots derailed the Broncos to bring a simmering Russell Wilson storyline to the surface. Reported to be heading toward a Bill Belichick divorce, the Patriots have a rather important decision to make in the coming days.
Robert Kraft is believed to want to avoid firing his six-time Super Bowl-winning head coach, leading to rampant trade speculation. A trade would complicate matters for all parties, placing Belichick in limbo in an age range in which no head coach has ever landed a job. The 71-year-old HC/de facto GM’s accomplishments obviously lap every other candidate on the 2024 carousel, but the topic of Belichick the GM will be a component in Pats talks with other teams — assuming those transpire.
[RELATED: Will Chargers Pursue Belichick In Trade?]
As of Sunday, however, Belichick and Kraft are not believed to have discussed plans beyond this season, per NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero, who report a scenario still exists in which the longtime HC stays with the Patriots for a 25th season.
Belichick, who will turn 72 in April, is not planning to retire. Eager to break Don Shula‘s record for career wins (347), Belichick is 14 behind the Hall of Famer. Because of the Pats’ 2023 struggles, the 2024 season does not represent a realistic window for that record to change hands. The ’25 season probably does, but Belichick’s status is certainly up in the air for that season. He is believed to be under contract through the ’24 season, but not much has emerged indicating which way this will go in recent days.
The prospect of Belichick ceding personnel power to another voice in New England’s building is worth discussing, as the Patriots do not have an upper-echelon roster. Draft mistakes have left the team, on offense in particular, with glaring deficiencies. Belichick’s defensive acumen has helped the Pats compensate for the losses of Matt Judon and Christian Gonzalez, but the team has made errors in assembling its roster since its Super Bowl LIII win. As for Belichick focusing on an HC-only role with the Pats, SI.com’s Albert Breer is not of the belief that will be a workable scenario for someone who has held full control during his second stint with the organization.
Kraft could be put to a seminal test soon, and the fast-paced nature of the HC carousel will be an issue for any team interested in Belichick as well. The Patriots are unlikely to fetch a first-round pick for Belichick. No team has ever hired a head coach older than 66, and the Belichick-as-GM element will undoubtedly be an issue for clubs interested in acquiring him as a head coach. If Belichick wants to continue as an NFL HC, he might need to agree to a high-level personnel exec either joining the Patriots or working alongside such a staffer in another city.
Linked on numerous occasions to playing a key role in the Jimmy Garoppolo trade six years ago, Kraft does not want a Belichick divorce to remind of Tom Brady‘s departure in free agency, per Rapoport and Pelissero, who note the longtime owner has consulted with many about how to proceed here. A firing is not viewed as likely.
Although Belichick is not believed to want to leave Foxborough, he would presumably want freedom to either seek a trade or become a coaching free agent if Kraft determines his time is up in New England. It remains to be seen how the owner will play this, and we would seem to be days away from finding out.
NFL offseason drama is going into full effect!
Get ready for like six more months of this, haha.
A unique sense of serenity can be achieved by stumbling around in the fog.
The only personnel deficiency was quarterback and it seems clear Kraft overruled Belichick to draft Mac Jones and Jones’s arrogance of thinking himself a finished product finally ran him out of second chances. Zappe with a full season can make the Patriots winners again. Belichick won’t leave, won’t cede power (he just proved Kraft wrong about Jones), so 2024 is Belichick
Michael Daly….. FINALLY, someone else that actually gets it. I will also add to your comment that the reason why Mac Jones was not moved in the off season was because dumbo Kraft thought the fix was bringing in O’Brien, and the reason why we had to put up with 11 weeks of Jones starting was also because of Kraft.
If it’s true that Kraft demanded Bill draft Mac, then that opens a few questions.
1. Saban and Bill are very close. Do you think Saban said ‘Mac is a bust, don’t draft him’. I don’t think so.
2. Why did Bill sign a new contract this offseason? If his power is getting pulled, he could have left and gone somewhere else.
3. Did you ever call Kraft a dumbo during the 20 year run? Probably not is my guess.
Belichick would’ve been sacked at Halloween except his secret contract extension was made public.
No chance.
1. Saban might have recommended Jones. But I suspect Belichick turned against Jones the more he talked to him.
2. Belichick said in 2020 something to the effect of it’s too late to change teams because of the effort to build rosters and a front office.
3. Kraft left Belichick alone most of the last 24 seasons, but it started changing; we doubted at the time the rumor that Kraft overruled Belichick to trade Garoppolo but it seems clear now Belichick wanted to switch to the heir apparent sooner not later. And the dysfunction of the team is what happens from owner interference not from a fully empowered coach.
1. If Bill turned against Jones, why did he draft him? had all offseason to feel him out. That was Bill’s pick, just like the rest of his previous 17 som odd drafts.
2. from 2020 til 2023 what has Bill built in NE? Losing teams is what’s been built.
3. Bill has had full control over the roster his entire there. Why would 20 some years later & after 6 SB’s, would the owner interject himself after that success?
It was Kraft who ordered the drafting of Jones.
I said earlier the dysfunction is symptomatic of owner interference not a fully empowered head coach. No Belichick no longer has full control over the roster; the Patriots would still have winning seasons if he did.
Zappe is even worse than Mac! The Pats better lose this week and end up with one of the top 3 QBs, or this is a waste of a season and a waste of the next 3 years.
They also clearly need WR and OL help. Basically, they’re below average everywhere on offense except for RB and possibly TE.
Zappe is head and shoulders superior to Jones. Full season as starter with preseason reps etc. and he’ll be far more polished; he’s already showing he can be a legitimate winner. No they’re not below average with WR because there’s no such thing as weapons. Trent Brown certainly is a goner.
The WRs don’t even get separation in practice. They are well below average.
I hope you’re right about Zappe, but aside from a few strong minutes here and there, he doesn’t even look like an adequate backup to me. I’m sincerely curious what you think he’s average or better at. His stats are terrible, and watching him makes him look even worse.
Separation is schemed open. They’re not below average. Again more reps with Zappe will see more improvement. Zappe takes coaching, has shown good quickness in decision making, is mechanically sound, and gets better with more game time. Earlier the rap was he couldn’t score in the second half; now he’s doing that. His rawness is the problem now; a full 2024 season is what’s needed to see if he becomes what I think he can become.
No way Zappe with a full season makes NE a winner again. He, like Jones, is a backup at best.
Oh yes he is.
I was with you until you said Zappe can make the Pats winners. He’s horrible. They should use their pick on a QB. If they don’t, trade back, get Russell Wilson, and use the picks you got for their 1st to fill some holes, namely WR, OL, and a running back.
Cam Newton has come and gone. Russell Wilson is also an end of the line QB. No point to bringing him in, except at league minimum (like Cam Newton) as a stopgap.
Zappe is far and away better than Jones and is legitimate a winner. Do notbfrt selfish punk Russell Wilson. Keep Zappe 2024 into 2025. They don’t need WRs or RBs, Trent Brown is gone. Cut Jones, sign a non-name veteran quarterback as backup, sign an undrafted rookie quarterback for competition purposes.
That rumor is completely false and has been debunked. Belichick made the call on Mac Jones, not Kraft.
Debunked? Everything is a freaking rumor…. but keep believing what the media tells you.
Who told you Kraft made the call, Bill or the media?
No. It was Kraft.
Quarterback is certainly not the only deficiency. The offensive line is even worse than the quarterback. Jones was destroyed by the coordinator fiasco from last year, and Zappe just does not have an NFL arm, but neither are the only issue in New England. Jones was pressured constantly in his time under center, and though the Pats have a host of receivers that would be good second or third options, there’s not a clear primary receiver to make difficult or consistent catches. The quarterback is a problem, but the fact that that problem does not even have time to be consistent has been a huge issue for the Patriots this entire season, no matter who is under center.
Zappe has NFL caliber. You don’t ever want a primary receiver. Permanently spread the ball. Zappe is proving he can get them a winning season. The only O-line issue now is Trent Brown and he’s a goner.
I could see a scenario where russ gets cut and lands in NE.
Ditto. There are going to be lots of QB dominoes this off-season.
Wilson gets cut. NE is probably on the bottom of his list. Really no offensive pieces to speak of.
If Minnesota doesn’t bring back Cousins I can see them taking a flier on Wilson and they have better pieces. Same with Bucs, Falcons. They could be in play for his services.
That may be true, but Wilson is not going to have a long list of suitors. Most of the teams that need a quarterback are going to look to the draft. If they don’t, there are other options that figure to be cheaper, as well. If Mayfield does not return to Tampa, he’ll be higher on the veteran FA list than Wilson. Garappolo may or may not be as well. I’m not saying that Wilson can’t end up in NE, because it may make more sense than some others (even though i don’t think that it would end well if happened), but I do think that Wilson’s options will be limited.
Jimmy G will not be more in demand then Russel Wilson lol
I didn’t say that he for sure would, but Jimmy G will be cheaper, so he might be. No team is signing any of these mentioned players to be a five year starter, in all likelihood. They will likely see them as a temporary option, for perhaps two to three years at the high end. More than likely, the team will plan to draft a successor in that time. Spending a ton of money on the bridge QB is not usually part of that approach.
I don’t think Wilson will have much to choose from. Kirk Cousins coming off his injury will have more of a market if he isn’t tagged.
There will be a robust trade market also pair that with some backups getting looked at as starters as well.
Falcons definitely I think could be in the mix and I think that is his ideal fit.
Yup this is my thought exactly. Russ won’t have many options. As a Pats fan, I don’t want him, but I fear Bill would get excited about him.
Russ and Ciara are business people. It’s going to be a business move Atlanta(ciara’s career started there), New York Giants, Las Vegas Raiders, commanders, Steelers
Yes you just listed all of the QB needy teams, very business-like of you.
Bill, you’re 71 YO. Retire already. Spend your days relaxing & counting your money.
I don’t think age is the biggest issue with him- I think it’s the arrogant, intolerant, way he does things that would require a major culture shift for another team. And it would be major. Then what? He’s there for a couple of years as coach/GM, retires, and that teams at ground zero again.
As we age, we become: set in our ways, intolerant of change, cranky, grumpy, perfectionists, and it’s either our way or the highway.
We lose our charm and our youthful appeal first, then we lose some energy and our absolute authority. Belichick was always short of charm. The way the NFL works (hiring out all your assistants) means Belichick was not able to build a protected empire of competent help to cover for his slipping facilities.
In short, yes he should retire. Not because he was ever a bad coach (there’s some nutcase here with an anti-Belichick agenda) but because time stops for no man and Belichick has become too old for an organisational rebuild.
I agree with both of you- Jackson and Alec.. I’m 69 and still working because I love what I do. I’m probly guilty of much of what y’all mentioned but I will say, I still approach what I do as a student. The younger people I work with appreciate that. I honestly don’t think Bill has that in him. Heck, he’s been an incredible coach in a perfect situation for years but that is never gonna happen again… Go buy that island, Bill and take some young coaches under your wing and share what you know..
They’ll announce it as a mutual parting at seasons end
Kraft is dying to find his next TB12 miracle with that first round pick – thus I think that’s going to bring things to a head very quickly in the off-season.
Did Kraft ever get his Super Bowl ring back from Putin?
Didn’t need any help from Russians cos the Patriots are the 6-time “World Champion” of Murica, F#&k Yeah!
Kraft has enough Super Bowl rings. If you don’t want to lose it, don’t offer it as a present.
There is no reason for the Patriots to cut ties with Belichick. Hes still doing a great job. With the disaster of a roster, they’re still competing week in, week out.
You can question Bill the GM but not Bill the coach. He’s still getting it done. If they aren’t able to strip him of GM duties, they need to up their scouting department to keep improving on their draft picks.
They have a great defense that will havw Judon and Gonzalez back next year. They have 90+mill in cap space. And a top 5 pick. They have lost 8 games by one possession or less with a terrible offense. They’re a team that could easily flip the script and make the playoffs next year. Just need some juice on offense. Keep Bill and use the available resources to upgrade the offense.
Baghdad Bob couldn’t have spoken it any better.
I agree. But they need an adequate QB. I’d trust any of the 3 top QBs coming out of the draft over Mac and Zappe on Day 1.
They need a little more than that. I’ll agree that the defense is stellar, but the Patriots at minimum need a left tackle, right tackle, and a primary receiver. All of these things are more dire needs than the quarterback, even though it is not popularly shared as an opinion. The Pats certainly can improve at quarterback, but their line play has been atrocious in every game that I’ve seen.
I also expected much better from O’Brien. The quarterback play has been bad, and the line and receiver play worse, but he hasn’t been able to elevate it much at all from Patricia and Judge from last year.