Legendary Coach Bill Belichick Confirms Exit From Patriots After A 24 Year Run

After an incredible 24 seasons as the coach of the New England Patriots, Bill Belichick said on Thursday that “we’re going to move on” and expressed gratitude for his unrivalled record in NFL history, which included six Super Bowl championships.

Legendary Coach Bill Belichick Confirms Exit From Patriots After A 24 Year Run

Belichick and Robert Kraft, the owner of the Patriots, met for the better part of this week to discuss the respective plans for each side. There was reportedly no argument or confrontation, according to those with knowledge of those discussions, and in the end, fruitful negotiations produced a resolution that satisfied both parties.

For the last 24 years, the 71-year-old has been at the head of the Patriots, delivering enormous success to New England for a majority of his career. Belichick built a dynasty with the Patriots that lasted over two decades, winning six Super Bowls, nine AFC Championships, and fourteen AFC East crowns with quarterback great Tom Brady.

Belichick concludes his tenure in Foxborough with a 266-121 record overall.

Why, therefore, did the Patriots choose to part ways with one of the best head coaches in history?

Kraft referred to Belichick as the best coach of all time and said he should be elected to the Hall of Fame on the first vote at a press conference on Thursday.

“This is a move that we mutually agreed that is needed at this time,” Kraft stated. “What Bill accomplished, in my opinion, will never be duplicated.”

Belichick, who said he will “always be a Patriot,” thanked Kraft and his family for the opportunity and support, saying: “We had a vision of building a championship football team that has exceeded my wildest dreams and expectations. I’m very proud of that. I’ll always have those great memories, will carry those with me the rest of my life.”

Though Belichick will always be remembered as one of the best coaches of all time, New England’s post-Brady period was lackluster. Belichick and the Patriots were 29-36 in the four seasons without Brady, making only one trip to the postseason and winning none.

This year was the icing on top – for all the wrong reasons. Up to 2023, Belichick never ended with fewer than five victories. Although the Patriots did not enter the season with great hopes, many humiliating, un-Belichick-like losses combined with a lack of self-control finally proved to be too much to resist a change.

With one year left on his deal, Belichick is free to depart the team without the Patriots pursuing payment. According to league insiders, he will want to continue coaching and is anticipated to pique the interest of at least a few of the other seven NFL teams that have head coaching openings, most notably the Atlanta Falcons.

Less than twenty-four hours had passed since Belichick left New England to retire from Alabama with his close buddy Nick Saban.

The exits of two football legends—men regarded by many as the best college football coach and the best professional coach in history—have a certain symmetry and familiarity.

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After winning six Super Bowls and elevating the Patriots to a level of dominance seldom seen in contemporary professional sports, Belichick had nothing more to prove. Even though his time with the Patriots is finished, he still seems to be enjoying his role as a coach. Several rumors state that Belichick would like to carry on as a coach.

Most Wins with One Team

Only George Halas had more wins with a single franchise (including playoffs) than Bill Belichick’s 296 with the Patriots.

COACH TEAM WINS*
George Halas Bears 324
Bill Belichick Patriots 296
Don Shula Dolphins 274
Tom Landry Cowboys 270
* Including playoffs
— ESPN Stats & Information

 

Still, Belichick’s resume is indisputable. After taking over a Patriots team that had never before won a Super Bowl, he went on to win six of them. With the 2007 Patriots, he oversaw the first 16-0 regular season in NFL history. Upon reaching 300 regular-season victories, he became the third-ever NFL coach in history. He left the Patriots before he could surpass the record of 328 victories held by Don Shula. His 31 postseason victories are an NFL record, however. At this point, Belichick had won 302 games.

Though most coaches and players don’t, Belichick’s tenure with the Patriots didn’t end in glory. It culminated in a disastrous season that saw New England suffer more defeats by October’s conclusion than it would have for the majority of Belichick’s coaching tenure.

Who will replace Bill Belichick in New England?

The 37-year-old, who was a defensive standout under Belichick, is seen to be the most obvious internal promotion. The Panthers expressed interest in Mayo last year for the head coaching position, but Mayo finally decided not to accept an interview and inked a hefty contract extension to remain in New England after speaking with Kraft about his future there.

Apart from Mayo, Mike Vrabel, a former outstanding defensive player for the Patriots, has also been associated with Belichick’s role. The current head coach of the Titans is coming off a poor 6-11 season in Tennessee, and his run-heavy game plan isn’t quite as effective as it was during the days of running back Derrick Henry.

Vrabel has stated that he has no interest in leaving the Titans, but it’s not apparent  if he is on the hot seat or not in Tennessee.

Few individuals have immaculate endings in the NFL. Not even to a coach with more championship rings than anybody in league history, who brought a New England Patriots team from the basement of the NFL to one of the greatest 20-year runs in sports history.

Bill Belichick is no longer the head coach of the Patriots, a development that would have been difficult to digest even a few years ago.

 

 

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