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Bill Belichick

Patriots Notes: Vrabel, Klemm, Onwenu, Boutte

November 8th, 2023 at 9:00pm CST by Ben Levine

With the Patriots in the midst of their worst season in decades, there’s been plenty of speculation regarding Bill Belichick‘s future in New England. If either Belichick or the organization decides to move on, it’s been assumed that de facto defensive coordinator Jerod Mayo would take over as head coach.

However, there are some whispers that Patriots brass could actually look towards another former linebacker to succeed Belichick. According to ESPN’s Dan Graziano, there are “definitely people” within the Patriots organization who would be receptive to a Mike Vrabel hiring. Ben Volin of the Boston Globe previously described a Vrabel pursuit as a “home run” option for the organization.

Of course, if the Patriots were interested in hiring Vrabel, they’d have to convince the Titans to let go of their head coach. Vrabel signed an extension with the organization in 2022 and is presumably under contract for at least a few more years. If the Titans get a hint that the Patriots will make a serious pursuit, there’s a good chance they’ll try to grab some compensation from New England.

On the flip side, the Patriots could just wait for the Titans to make a change. The Titans may finish with their second-straight losing season, and Vrabel hasn’t won a playoff game since the team’s 2019 run. Ownership may decide to pull the plug on their coaching staff, much like they did with GM Jon Robinson last December.

More notes out of New England…

  • Patriots offensive line coach Adrian Klemm is expected to be away from the team “for a little while” while dealing with a personal health issue, Belichick told reporters (via ESPN’s Mike Reiss). The former Patriots second-round pick joined New England’s coaching staff this past offseason after having spent the 2022 campaign as Oregon’s associate head coach/OL coach. Assistant OL coach Billy Yates will likely take on more responsibility while Klemm is out.
  • Michael Onwenu has bounced around the offensive line throughout his career. After excelling at right tackle as a rookie, the sixth-round pick was moved to left guard during his sophomore season. He was switched to right guard in 2022 and went on to earn Pro Bowl honors, and he stuck at the position to begin the 2023 season. However, recent injuries and OL inconsistencies have forced Onwenu back to RT, and Belichick told reporters that the organization is comfortable keeping the fourth-year player at the position (per Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald).
  • Sixth-round rookie WR Kayshon Boutte hasn’t been active since he played 55 snaps in Week 1. Following Kendrick Bourne‘s season-ending injury, Boutte was expected to see a larger role on offense, but he proceeded to be inactive in Week 9 against the Commanders.There’s been some speculation that the rookie could be in Belichick’s doghouse after failing to get a second foot down on a crucial drive in Week 1, but Boutte dismissed that notion. “I don’t feel like I’m in the doghouse,” he said (via Reiss). “Looking back at the first game, I know that I can get open. I know how to create separation. That’s why I’m comfortable with myself.”
  • We learned earlier today that cornerback J.C. Jackson won’t be traveling to Germany for New England’s matchup against the Colts this weekend.

Possible Futures For HC Bill Belichick, Patriots

November 5th, 2023 at 10:01pm CST by Ely Allen

While speculation has run amok on multiple occasions this season that Patriots head coach Bill Belichick could be on the hot seat in New England, he went off and silently signed a “lucrative, multiyear” extension in the offseason. According to a recent report from Ben Volin of the Boston Globe, a source has disclosed that they believe the new contract only runs through the 2024 season. If the Patriots truly have plans to move on from their longtime head coach, what would that look like? And what would that mean for Belichick or the Patriots?

Even if the extension keeps Belichick for only one additional year, Volin isn’t convinced that he makes it that long, believing it would take “a miracle turnaround” for this not to be his last season in New England, even claiming there’s a chance Belichick doesn’t make it through the rest of the season. With a bye week coming up in two weeks, the team’s trip to Germany could be crucial. While Volin is only voicing an opinion, the writer for the Globe has been on the Patriots beat for ten years and should have a decent read on the team’s pulse.

He doesn’t believe, however, that recent reports of Washington desiring a trade for Belichick are believable. While the idea of reeling in Belichick and allowing him to recreate his former staff with Matt Patricia, Josh McDaniels, and Joe Judge seems like an interesting idea on its surface, one the Patriots would rejoice over having a draft pick in return for, the Commanders don’t have the spare cash to bring on the NFL’s highest-paid coach. Also, with a franchise who seems intent on pumping out old blood in a mass transfusion, bringing in one of the NFL’s second-oldest head coaches doesn’t quite fit the bill. If current head coach Ron Rivera is on the way out, as many have prophesized, a younger replacement seems far more likely.

Now, if the Patriots do cut ties with the 71-year-old skipper, who takes over as the first new head coach of the Patriots in 24 years? Team owner Robert Kraft (and his son, team president Jonathan Kraft) have repeatedly stuck with names already popular in New England. According to Volin’s sources, Titans head coach Mike Vrabel would be a “home run” hire to replace Belichick.

Vrabel, a former player who spent eight years playing linebacker for the Patriots and helping them win three Super Bowls, moved quickly through the coaching ranks, moving on from a position coaching job at Ohio State to work his way up to defensive coordinator of the Texans. After one year at the helm of Houston’s defense, Vrabel was hired in Tennessee where he has amassed a 51-39 regular season record and gone 2-3 in the playoffs. He received a new contract after the 2021 season, but there’ve been rumors that Vrabel and new general manager Ran Carthon don’t quite see eye to eye. So, perhaps, New England could entice Vrabel towards a reunion.

Since Belichick also serves as de facto GM, a new GM would become a necessity, as well. The same sources that pointed to Vrabel labelled Texans GM Nick Caserio as another “home run” hire. A longtime member of the Patriots’ player personnel department, Caserio won his newest position after 13 years as director of player personnel in New England. After two rough years at the helm in Houston, Caserio may have looked expendable to start the year, but rookie head coach DeMeco Ryans and rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud have injected new blood and excitement into the Texans franchise. Caserio would likely be a tough get at this point, unless there’s some hidden discontent on behalf of Ryans, who may be looked to as the pilot of this season’s potential turnaround.

Volin didn’t stop there, even speculating on future potential coordinators for this “home run” staff. Many don’t view current offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien as the team’s play caller of the future. In fact, not many believe that was the intent when he was brought in in the first place, assuming he would use the role as “a springboard to a head coaching opportunity.” With quarterback Mac Jones struggling and the offense scoring the second-least points in the NFL, he certainly doesn’t appear to be on the short-list to replace Belichick or even retain his play calling duties for much longer.

Instead, a reunion with McDaniels, the recently fired former head coach of the Raiders, seems within the realm of possibility. McDaniels probably isn’t in a hurry to take a new job, as he’s getting paid by Las Vegas for the next four years, but he may feel the need to return to the NFL by at least next season, in order to ensure his name stays fresh in NFL circles. A return to the familiar grounds of New England seems reasonable.

On defense, inside linebackers coach Jerod Mayo is thought to be a big up and coming coach in New England, after refusing a head coaching interview in order to take a big payday with the Patriots. Mayo may not be ready to take over as head coach in New England just yet, but he may be able to earn defensive coordinator duties in a hypothetical Vrabel staff. Regardless, the Kraft’s love him and were willing to pay a lot of money in order to keep him from leaving for greener pastures.

While all of this is purely hypothetical, the heat on Belichick seems very real. With the Patriots facing a possible 2-8 start if they can’t pull out a win in Frankfurt, the end of the Belichick-era may soon be at hand. There are lots of things to figure out between now and the prophesies above, but if things continue going from bad to worse, we may see it all play out in the months to come.

Commanders Eyeing Bill Belichick?

November 2nd, 2023 at 10:37pm CST by Ben Levine

Things have gone from bad to worse in New England, with the Patriots currently sitting at the bottom of the AFC standings. This has naturally led to some chatter about Bill Belichick‘s job security and his future with the organization. Further, the Patriots’ record has led some NFL insiders to question if Belichick could be employed elsewhere next season.

[RELATED: Patriots Signed Bill Belichick To Offseason Extension]

According to Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com, there’s “chatter in some league circles” that the Commanders could make a run at Belichick this upcoming offseason. While Florio cautions that this “isn’t a report that it will happen,” he said it’s a possibility that’s currently being thrown around the league.

While this might seem like a random pairing, Florio explains that the Belichick/Commanders connection is rooted in some logic. The Commanders signaled at the trade deadline that they’re looking to restart under new owner Josh Harris, and that could eventually lead to him cleaning house among coaches and executives. Who better to lead the next era of Washington football than one of the greatest coaches of all time?

For the Patriots, they’d be able to avoid a firing or “mutual parting,” with both of these routes likely resulting in them owing Belichick some money. Plus, assuming Belichick is still under contract for the 2024 campaign, the Commanders would be required to compensate the Patriots. For a team that’s lacking in future pieces and would be eyeing their own significant reset, extra draft assets would surely come in handy.

Of course, there are some complications surrounding this pursuit, and that’s why Florio notes that neither side would ever acknowledge the rumors. For starters, the Commanders couldn’t be hyper-focused on Belichick since they need to adhere to the Rooney Rule. This requires the organization to go through proper interviews for head coach and GM candidates.

The second sticking point is Belichick’s contract. We heard in late October that the head coach had recently signed an extension with the Patriots, and the terms of that contract could ultimately determine whether the legendary coach sticks around New England. As Albert Breer of SI.com notes, the reported “extension” may have actually been a simple reworking of the deal, and there’s a chance Belichick’s pact only lasts through the 2024 campaign. This wouldn’t be dissimilar to how the Patriots handled Tom Brady‘s exit; the team signed the quarterback to a reported extension, but the terms of the deal only increased the likelihood that Brady would end up leaving New England.

Breer believes we could be eyeing a similar scenario here. At the very least, the reporter believes Patriots owner Robert Kraft will have to make a difficult decision on Belichick this offseason. If the coach’s contract does truly last through the 2024 campaign, there’s little chance the organization will let Belichick head into next season with lame-duck status.

Florio also raised an eyebrow at the recent extension reports. The reporter says he assumed the report came from Belichick’s camp and was attended to cool rumors surrounding a potential firing. However, Florio is now wondering if the report was leaked by the Patriots, with the organization signaling that they’ll be the ones determining Belichick’s future destination.

It wasn’t very long ago that a Belichick firing would seem like a fantasy. The HC/GM built a pair of dynasty squads in his 23-plus years in New England, winning six Super Bowl rings while climbing up the all-time wins list for coaches. However, since Brady left, things haven’t been as rosy. The team went 7-9 during their first season without Brady, and they took a step forward with rookie Mac Jones in 2021, going 10-7 while returning to the playoffs.

However, the team has taken massive steps back in recent years. It didn’t seem like it could get much worse than last season’s 8-9 showing, but the Patriots have gotten off to a dreadful 2-6 start in 2023. Belichick has earned plenty of blame for the team’s current predicament, with the coach being called out for questionable coaching decisions, his handling of Jones and the quarterback position, and his subpar draft record in recent years.

Patriots Signed Bill Belichick To Offseason Extension

October 22nd, 2023 at 10:00pm CST by Adam La Rose

2023 has seen the Patriots struggle across the board, leading to questions about Bill Belichick‘s future in the organization. The 71-year-old appears to be safe for the remainder of this season, though, in part due to a renewed commitment the team made in him recently.

Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports the Patriots and Belichick agreed to a “lucrative, multiyear” extension this past offseason. While the terms of the pact remain unknown at this point, Rapoport noted on NFL GameDay Morning that it is in line to keep Belichick in place “long-term.” The six-time Super Bowl winner has been in New England since 2000, but the team’s 1-5 start has exposed shortcomings which have been increasingly criticized since Tom Brady‘s departure.

Belichick was thought by many to be facing a make-or-break season in 2023 with owner Robert Kraft delivering what amounted to a playoffs-or-bust ultimatum. While that was later walked back, expectations have nevertheless grown that 2023 could be Belichick’s final year before retiring or being replaced in his coaching and managing capacity. Even after today’s update, it very much remains to be seen if a changing of the guard will be delayed come the offseason.

As NBC Sports’ Tom E. Curran notes, the deal is unlikely to preclude a change being made following the 2023 campaign if one is deemed necessary by Kraft. Plenty of time remains in the season, but the Patriots are on track to miss the playoffs for the third time in the four years since Brady departed in free agency. His presumed long-term successor (Mac Jones) has not fared as well as expected under new OC Bill O’Brien, leading to speculation he could lose his starting role and highlighting the lack of organizational agreement on drafting him in the first place. Continued struggles from Jones and the offense will no doubt lead to increased calls for changes on the sidelines.

Indeed, Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated corroborates Curran’s note that 2024 could very well be a contract year for Belichick in the wake of his offseason deal. Details are unlikely to emerge on that front, given the Patriots’ secretive nature on such matters. Still, it is far from uncommon for NFL coaches to be let go with term remaining on their deals, so Belichick’s tenure should not be considered secure beyond the conclusion of the 2023 season.

Latest On Patriots’ Struggles In 2023

October 19th, 2023 at 7:47pm CST by Ben Levine

Wins have been hard to come by in New England this season, with the Patriots winning only one of their first six games. Naturally, fans and pundits have been looking for a scapegoat. Mac Jones and the putrid Patriots offense have earned their fair share of the blame, and even Bill Belichick‘s job security has been called into question.

Ben Volin of the Boston Globe recently explored how the Patriots got to this point, and the reporter didn’t exclude owner Robert Kraft when exploring the root cause of the organization’s issues. While ownership allowed Belichick free rein during the Patriots’ dynasty, Kraft’s recent meddling has contributed to the organization’s current predicament.

It started back in 2017, when Kraft forced Belichick to move on from Jimmy Garoppolo in favor of an aging Tom Brady. The following year, it was Kraft that convinced offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels to renege on his HC deal with the Colts and stick in New England. Both of those decisions ultimately benefited the Patriots (Brady won another ring while McDaniels helped guide Jones to a successful rookie campaign), but those decisions may have emboldened the owner in recent years.

Specifically, it was Kraft’s decision to give de facto defensive coordinator Jerod Mayo a pay raise this past offseason while also potentially promising him the future head coaching gig. Mayo has earned respect around the NFL and has been considered for head coaching gigs, but Kraft’s promise may limit the organization’s ability to completely clean house. Further, Kraft also convinced Belichick to hire offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien and offensive line coach Adrian Klemm, and the Patriots offense and offensive line have struggled mightily in 2023.

Most significantly, some NFL sources believe that Kraft was the one who chose Jones in the first round of the 2021 draft, per Volin. This isn’t a huge surprise; Belichick has never seemed fully committed to the young quarterback, perhaps explaining why Jones’ confidence appears completely shot in 2023.

It’s probably easiest to place blame on all of Kraft, Belichick, and Jones, but Volin notes that there’s plenty of other reasons why the Patriots find themselves at the bottom of the standings. The front office and coaching staff have had a major brain drain in recent years. This loss of coaching/front office talent wasn’t any different during New England’s heyday, but as Volin writes, the Patriots have struggled to find replacements like they used to.

Kraft, of course, isn’t going anywhere, so Jones and Belichick would seemingly be the main scapegoats assuming things continue to go south. In a separate column, Volin explored some potential destinations for Belichick if he ends up getting pushed out in New England. In informal conversations with league personnel, the most popular hypothetical landing spots for the iconic coach were the Chargers and Commanders. The Bears were also previously mentioned as a potential suitor for Belichick. While the head coach has expressed interest in coaching well into his 70s, it’s uncertain if Belichick would have interest in uprooting his life to work elsewhere.

Latest On Patriots, Bill Belichick; Bears Are Potential Landing Spot For Belichick?

October 15th, 2023 at 10:42am CST by Adam La Rose

OCTOBER 15: Like other reporters, Jason La Canfora of the Washington Post is not hearing any rumblings that Belichick could be fired in-season. After all, as Mike Reiss of ESPN.com notes, the locker room remains united, and Belichick is showing no outward signs of panic.

Nonetheless, it seems increasingly likely that 2023 will be Belichick’s last season in Foxborough, and that the 71-year-old himself may be ready to move on. If that happens, then Jonathan Kraft, Robert’s son and the club’s team president, reportedly prefers a younger HC who has less control over football operations. Indeed, Belichick’s missteps as the Pats’ de facto GM are well-documented and have played a major role in New England’s post-Brady struggles, and it makes sense that the team would want to begin anew with a more traditional power structure.

A coaching agent that spoke with La Canfora unsurprisingly believes there would be a market for Belichick’s services, and La Canfora names the Bears as a potential landing spot if Chicago should decide to part ways with current HC Matt Eberflus while retaining GM Ryan Poles. Poles entered the NFL’s personnel world as a scouting assistant with the Chiefs under then-GM Scott Pioli, and Pioli worked with Belichick in Cleveland from 1992-95 and in New England from 2000-08.

OCTOBER 11: Sitting at the bottom of the AFC East after two massive blowouts, speculation regarding Bill Belichick‘s job security has picked up again. The Patriots’ head coach and de facto GM appears to face the very serious possibility of finding himself out of his current position by next season.

The relationship between Belichick and owner Robert Kraft has soured during the course of the post-Tom Brady era, one in which the Patriots have made only one playoff appearance and not won a postseason game. Tensions between the two went public over the summer, fueling questions about Kraft’s readiness to authorize a coaching change in the event of continued team struggles.

The opening weeks of 2023 certainly meet that description, and New England now sits at 1-4. As a result, internal tension within the organization has been exacerbated, reports Sportkeeda’s Tony Pauline. The team’s slow start has illustrated roster-building issues which can understandably be attributed to Belichick, who was reported to be on the hot seat before the start of the campaign. Pauline’s sources indicate the 71-year-old is not expected to return for 2024, though a midseason firing would come as a surprise at this point.

That presumed scenario would involve Belichick – who has been in place since 2000 and ranks third on the NFL’s all-time wins list – choosing to step aside and avoid needing to be given a pink slip. His lengthy list of accomplishments has led many to expect he would receive enough leeway to decide his own fate. Especially if the trend of lopsided losses and offensive struggles continues, though, that may not be the case.

Jeff Howe of the The Athletic notes that Kraft is becoming increasingly frustrated with Belichick’s performance and that of the team as a whole (subscription required). Howe adds that New England’s defense has been angered by the comparative poor play of the offense, a unit led by third-year quarterback Mac Jones. The former first-rounder has not succeeded in offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien‘s system as expected, something which has certainly not helped the perceived rift between Jones and Belichick that came to light in the offseason.

Moving on from Belichick at any time, and in any manner, would mark a major move for the Patriots considering their unmatched run of success during his tenure. It seems increasingly likely, however, that the next chapter in the organization’s history will be starting in the short-term future. New England’s ability to rebound from consecutive lopsided defeats (or lack thereof) will certainly be worth watching as it pertains to Belichick’s hot seat status.

The NFL’s Longest-Tenured GMs

July 6th, 2023 at 9:25am CST by Sam Robinson

The latest NFL general manager hiring cycle only produced two changes, but each took over for an executive who appeared in good standing at this point last year.

Steve Keim had held his Cardinals GM post since January 2013, and the Cardinals gave both he and Kliff Kingsbury extensions — deals that ran through 2027 — in March of last year. Arizona has since rebooted, moving on from both Keim and Kingsbury. Keim took a leave of absence late last season, and the Cardinals replaced him with ex-Titans exec Monti Ossenfort.

[RELATED: The NFL’s Longest-Tenured Head Coaches]

As the Cardinals poached one of the Titans’ top front office lieutenants, Tennessee went with an NFC West staffer to replace Jon Robinson. The move to add 49ers FO bastion Ran Carthon also came less than a year after the Titans reached extension agreements with both Robinson and HC Mike Vrabel. But controlling owner Amy Adams Strunk canned Robinson — in place as GM since January 2016 — before last season ended. Adams Strunk cited player unavailability and roster quality among the reasons she chose to move on despite having extended Robinson through the 2027 draft months earlier. The Titans are now pairing Vrabel and Carthon.

The Bills reached an extension agreement with GM Brandon Beane two weeks ago. Hired shortly after the team gave Sean McDermott the HC keys, Beane has helped the Bills to five playoff berths in six seasons. Beane’s deal keeps him signed through 2027. Chargers GM Tom Telesco has hit the 10-year mark leading that front office, while this year also marks the 10th offseason of Buccaneers honcho Jason Licht‘s tenure running the NFC South team. Although Jim Irsay fired Frank Reich and later admitted he reluctantly extended his former HC in 2021, the increasingly active Colts owner has expressed confidence in Chris Ballard.

Here is how the NFL’s GM landscape looks going into the 2023 season:

  1. Jerry Jones (Dallas Cowboys): April 18, 1989[1]
  2. Mike Brown (Cincinnati Bengals): August 5, 1991[2]
  3. Bill Belichick (New England Patriots): January 27, 2000[3]
  4. Mickey Loomis (New Orleans Saints): May 14, 2002
  5. John Schneider (Seattle Seahawks): January 19, 2010; signed extension in 2021
  6. Howie Roseman (Philadelphia Eagles): January 29, 2010; signed extension in 2022
  7. Les Snead (Los Angeles Rams): February 10, 2012; signed extension in 2022
  8. Tom Telesco (Los Angeles Chargers): January 9, 2013; signed extension in 2018
  9. Jason Licht (Tampa Bay Buccaneers): January 21, 2014; signed extension in 2021
  10. Chris Grier (Miami Dolphins): January 4, 2016[4]
  11. John Lynch (San Francisco 49ers): January 29, 2017; signed extension in 2020
  12. Chris Ballard (Indianapolis Colts): January 30, 2017; signed extension in 2021
  13. Brandon Beane (Buffalo Bills): May 9, 2017; signed extension in 2023
  14. Brett Veach (Kansas City Chiefs): July 11, 2017; signed extension in 2020
  15. Brian Gutekunst (Green Bay Packers): January 7, 2018; agreed to extension in 2022
  16. Eric DeCosta (Baltimore Ravens): January 7, 2019
  17. Joe Douglas (New York Jets): June 7, 2019
  18. Andrew Berry (Cleveland Browns): January 27, 2020
  19. Nick Caserio (Houston Texans): January 5, 2021
  20. George Paton (Denver Broncos): January 13, 2021
  21. Scott Fitterer (Carolina Panthers): January 14, 2021
  22. Brad Holmes (Detroit Lions): January 14, 2021
  23. Terry Fontenot (Atlanta Falcons): January 19, 2021
  24. Trent Baalke (Jacksonville Jaguars): January 21, 2021
  25. Martin Mayhew (Washington Commanders): January 22, 2021
  26. Joe Schoen (New York Giants): January 21, 2022
  27. Ryan Poles (Chicago Bears): January 25, 2022
  28. Kwesi Adofo-Mensah (Minnesota Vikings): January 26, 2022
  29. Dave Ziegler (Las Vegas Raiders): January 30, 2022
  30. Omar Khan (Pittsburgh Steelers): May 24, 2022
  31. Monti Ossenfort (Arizona Cardinals): January 16, 2023
  32. Ran Carthon (Tennessee Titans): January 17, 2023

Footnotes:

  1. Jones has been the Cowboys’ de facto general manager since former GM Tex Schramm resigned in April 1989.
  2. Brown has been the Bengals’ de facto GM since taking over as the team’s owner in August 1991.
  3. Belichick has been the Patriots’ de facto GM since shortly after being hired as the team’s head coach in January 2000.
  4. Although Grier was hired in 2016, he became the Dolphins’ top football exec on Dec. 31, 2018

Kraft: ‘Money Spending Will Never Be Issue’ For Patriots

July 4th, 2023 at 4:08pm CST by Sam Robinson

It might still be too soon to call what is transpiring in New England a cold war, but the Robert Kraft–Bill Belichick relationship has certainly seen better days.

The owner appeared to fire another salvo at the historically successful head coach recently. Belichick defended the Patriots’ unexpected 2021 spending spree by pointing out how the team’s commitments from 2020-22 ranked 27th on average. The Pats’ 2021 splurge remains an outlier for the generally conservative franchise.

[RELATED: Patriots Remain In DeAndre Hopkins Pursuit]

“Our spending in 2020, our spending in 2021, and our spending in 2022 — the aggregate of that — was we were 27th in the league in cash spending,” Belichick said in January. “Couple years we’re low, one year was high, but over a three-year period, we are one of the lowest-spending teams in the league.”

This comment came after a question regarding the 2021 free agency period — and not necessarily a dig at Kraft stinginess — but when asked about a willingness to spend money, Kraft shot back to continue what has been a somewhat icy stretch between the two Patriot bigwigs.

“He has never come to me and not gotten everything he wanted from a cash-spending perspective. We have never set limits,'” Kraft said of Belichick during an interview with the Boston Sports Journal’s Greg Bedard (h/t to the Boston Herald). “Money spending will never be the issue, I promise you, or I’ll sell the team.”

This would qualify as less newsworthy in a normal Patriots offseason. But this one also featured Kraft putting his six-time Super Bowl champion coach on shakier ground with March comments that gave off a win-or-else vibe. Last week, Kraft also said he would only consider this season a success if the franchise claims its seventh Super Bowl title. With the Patriots a mid-pack AFC team not mentioned with the conference’s elites, they will face long odds to accomplish that. Kraft and Belichick also have not seen eye to eye regarding last year’s Matt Patricia role and the treatment of Mac Jones, the latter seeming to have more support from the owner than the head coach.

Excepting the 2021 offseason, the 2017 Stephon Gilmore contract and select other instances, Belichick has not been known for big-ticket outside expenditures. The Pats did add JuJu Smith-Schuster this offseason but did so for the same fully guaranteed amount the Raiders gave outgoing Patriot Jakobi Meyers ($16MM). The team made an offer to Hopkins, who appears content to wait for his market to change.

Kraft pulling the plug on the Belichick era would be among the most controversial decisions in NFL history. The 24th-year Patriots HC sits second all time in wins (329), having passed George Halas last year. Belichick trails all-time leader Don Shula by 18 wins, putting him in position to potentially pass the Hall of Famer in 2024. Kraft firing Belichick, 71, under any circumstances would qualify as surprising, even considering the team’s below-.500 finishes in 2020 and 2022. But canning the future Hall of Famer as he is on the doorstep of a hallowed record would bring a bizarre conclusion to one of the most storied runs in NFL history.

The NFL’s Longest-Tenured Head Coaches

July 4th, 2023 at 12:48pm CST by Sam Robinson

After the 2022 offseason produced 10 new head coaches, this one brought a step back in terms of turnover. Five teams changed HCs, though each conducted thorough searches — four of them lasting until at least January 31.

The Colts and Cardinals hired their HCs after Super Bowl LVII, plucking the Eagles’ offensive and defensive coordinators (Shane Steichen, Jonathan Gannon). The Cardinals were hit with a tampering penalty regarding their Gannon search. Conducting their second HC search in two years, the Broncos saw multiple candidates drop out of the running. But Denver’s new ownership group convinced Sean Payton to step out of the FOX studio and back onto the sidelines after just one season away. The Panthers made this year’s first hire (Frank Reich), while the Texans — running their third HC search in three years — finalized an agreement with DeMeco Ryans minutes after the Payton news broke.

Only one of last year’s top 10 longest-tenured HCs lost his job. A turbulent Colts year led to Reich being fired barely a year after he signed an extension. During a rather eventful stretch, Jim Irsay said he reluctantly extended Reich in 2021. The Colts passed on giving interim HC Jeff Saturday the full-time position, despite Irsay previously indicating he hoped the former center would transition to that role. Reich landed on his feet, and after losing Andrew Luck to a shocking retirement just before his second Colts season, the well-regarded play-caller now has another No. 1 pick (Bryce Young) to mentor.

After considering a Rams exit, Sean McVay recommitted to the team and is overseeing a reshaped roster. Andy Reid also sidestepped retirement rumors, staying on with the Chiefs after his second Super Bowl win. This will be Reid’s 25th season as an NFL head coach.

Here is how the 32 HC jobs look for the 2023 season:

  1. Bill Belichick (New England Patriots): January 27, 2000
  2. Mike Tomlin (Pittsburgh Steelers): January 27, 2007; extended through 2024
  3. John Harbaugh (Baltimore Ravens): January 19, 2008; extended through 2025
  4. Pete Carroll (Seattle Seahawks): January 9, 2010; extended through 2025
  5. Andy Reid (Kansas City Chiefs): January 4, 2013; extended through 2025
  6. Sean McDermott (Buffalo Bills): January 11, 2017; extended through 2027
  7. Sean McVay (Los Angeles Rams): January 12, 2017; extended through 2023
  8. Kyle Shanahan (San Francisco 49ers): February 6, 2017; extended through 2025
  9. Mike Vrabel (Tennessee Titans): January 20, 2018; signed extension in February 2022
  10. Matt LaFleur (Green Bay Packers): January 8, 2019: signed extension in July 2022
  11. Zac Taylor (Cincinnati Bengals): February 4, 2019; extended through 2026
  12. Ron Rivera (Washington Commanders): January 1, 2020
  13. Mike McCarthy (Dallas Cowboys): January 7, 2020
  14. Kevin Stefanski (Cleveland Browns): January 13, 2020
  15. Robert Saleh (New York Jets): January 15, 2021
  16. Arthur Smith (Atlanta Falcons): January 15, 2021
  17. Brandon Staley (Los Angeles Chargers): January 17, 2021
  18. Dan Campbell (Detroit Lions): January 20, 2021
  19. Nick Sirianni (Philadelphia Eagles): January 21, 2021
  20. Matt Eberflus (Chicago Bears): January 27, 2022
  21. Brian Daboll (New York Giants): January 28, 2022
  22. Josh McDaniels (Las Vegas Raiders): January 30, 2022
  23. Kevin O’Connell (Minnesota Vikings): February 2, 2022
  24. Doug Pederson (Jacksonville Jaguars): February 3, 2022
  25. Mike McDaniel (Miami Dolphins): February 6, 2022
  26. Dennis Allen (New Orleans Saints): February 7, 2022
  27. Todd Bowles (Tampa Bay Buccaneers): March 30, 2022
  28. Frank Reich (Carolina Panthers): January 26, 2023
  29. Sean Payton (Denver Broncos): January 31, 2023
  30. DeMeco Ryans (Houston Texans): January 31, 2023
  31. Shane Steichen (Indianapolis Colts): February 14, 2023
  32. Jonathan Gannon (Arizona Cardinals): February 14, 2023

Latest On Patriots CB Christian Gonzalez

June 24th, 2023 at 7:37pm CST by Adam La Rose

Not much is certain at the cornerback position for the Patriots heading into training camp, but the presence of Christian Gonzalez should give the team a notable contributor over the short- and long-term future. The first-round rookie is in line for a signficant role right away, and it will likely include playing on the boundary.

Gonzalez was widely viewed as one of the top two corners in this year’s class, along with No. 5 pick Devon Witherspoon. The Commanders’ preference at the position was Emmanuel Forbes, who was selected one spot before the Patriots added Gonzalez with their first-rounder. The latter enters the NFL with signficant expectations after his lone season spent at Oregon in 2022.

Gonzalez recorded four interceptions and seven pass deflections with the Ducks, making him a first-round lock and an obvious target for a New England team looking to add further to their secondary. The team ranked third in the NFL with 19 interceptions last season, but only 16th in terms of passing yards allowed. Gonzalez could help in both departments with a strong rookie season, one in which he appears to have earned a starting spot.

“We’ll work him into a number of positions like we do almost all players at this point in time in the spring, and then narrow it down a little bit when we get to training camp,” head coach Bill Belichick said during an interview with Mike Tannenbaum of the 33rd Team (video link). “Ultimately, he’s most likely going to be a perimeter corner, but I think there are other situations where he could play inside or in a deeper part of the field, depending on what the call is or how things present themselves from a game-plan structure from time to time.”

That comes as little surprise, considering Gonzalez’s skillset and size (6-2, 201 pounds), as well as the uncertainty surrounding Jack Jones‘ future with the team. League or team discipline handed down to the latter would leave the Patriots short on perimeter options in particular, something which would add further to Gonzalez’s value in 2023. He will face a large workload as a rookie and likely a variety of alignments, making him a crucial member of the team’s secondary from the outset.

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