Posted on 12/13/2023 12:33:06 PM PST by Red Badger
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick deflected multiple questions about his job status Wednesday, repeating the same answer each time: "I'm getting ready for Kansas City."
Belichick's 3-10 team hosts the Chiefs on Sunday, a game that was flexed from ESPN's "Monday Night Football" mainly because of the team's struggles.
Speculation about Belichick's future has swirled in part because owner Robert Kraft has been clear about his expectations. Entering the fourth season since quarterback Tom Brady's free agency departure, which pained Kraft, the 82-year-old owner said in March that "it's very important to me that we make the playoffs."
The Patriots were officially eliminated from the postseason Sunday when the Cincinnati Bengals defeated the Indianapolis Colts. It marked the earliest the franchise has been knocked out since 2000, Belichick's first season as head coach.
The Patriots have also clinched their third losing season in the four years since Brady signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as a free agent. Their last playoff win was a 13-3 triumph over the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl LIII on Feb. 3, 2019.
Kraft hasn't publicly addressed Belichick's future since the season began but spoke in generalities Saturday as a guest on ESPN's "College GameDay," which was live from Gillette Stadium before the Army-Navy game there.
Asked what has contributed to his success over 30 years as Patriots owner, he said: "It's all about people. Collecting good people. People of good character. People who are loyal. I'm very happy that most of our key people have been with us for a long time. We have a head coach who has been with us 24 years. That's the model we have in all our companies. ... We like to win, so we want to do everything we can to get our team back so we can be winning."
Bill Belichick deflected multiple questions about his job status with the Patriots on Wednesday, answering, "I'm getting ready for Kansas City" each time. Mark Alberti/Icon Sportswire The day before, Kraft noted how much of a toll the losing season has had on him, telling "Patriots All-Access" he finally was able to sleep and "feel good" after the team snapped a five-game losing streak with a Dec. 7 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers.
On Monday, NBC Sports Boston reported, citing anonymous sources, that the Patriots and Belichick would split after the 2023 season -- a decision that reportedly was made after the team's 10-6 loss to the Colts in Frankfurt, Germany, on Nov. 12.
The report sparked multiple questions to Belichick on Wednesday morning, in the coach's first media availability leading into Sunday's game. Belichick was asked whether it was his understanding that Kraft wouldn't ask him back, whether he still wanted to coach beyond 2023, and whether there have been any internal discussions about his future. Each time, he responded by saying: "I'm getting ready for Kansas City."
Belichick's 24-year tenure as head coach is the longest in the NFL, and overall, it is the fifth-longest tenure by a head coach with one team.
His six Super Bowl championships as a head coach joins George Halas and Curly Lambeau as the only NFL coaches with six championships since the league began postseason play in 1933.
Belichick has 332 total victories (regular season and playoffs), which ranks him second all time behind Don Shula (347).
In March, Kraft was asked whether Belichick was guaranteed to be Patriots coach until he broke Shula's record, and said: "Look, I'd like him to break Don Shula's record, but I'm not looking for any of our players to get great stats. We're about winning and doing whatever we can to win. That's what our focus is now."
Funny how many ‘genius’ head football coaches cease to be a genius when their Hall of Fame quarterback departs...
Tom Brady leaves Pats, they then suck.
Tom Brady signs with Bucks, they stop sucking................
Belichick hates the press anyway, so questions like this must leave him irate.
The game passed by Tom Landry too, it happens.
He is one of the best coaches in the history of the league and he did not suddenly forget how to coach. Yes, he had Brady on offense but don’t forget how good their defenses were during that era (on a very low budget too by the way).
FWIW - I think he would be unintentionally funny and very interesting as an analyst, but Kraft might want to think twice before firing him. I realize most of the sports is entertainment and shtick, but who would you rather hear break down a defensive scheme if you were actually interested?
Sill a great coach.
What he sucks at is building a roster. He should never have been GM. His draft picks (mostly) stink and his free agent signings have been disasters.
Bill signed a big contract before this season.
Bob Kraft would have to eat that if he fires Bill.
Bill would just shrug and walk away. Pushing the wheelbarrow full of cash.
I don’t think Kraft will fire Belichick. OTOH, Belichick could just leave... say to the Chargers who have a great QB just begging to be utilized properly.
The question around NE was: Was it Bill? Was it Tom? Was it the two of them combined?
That question has been answered with an exclamation point.
Bill can be traded at the end of this season.
If there is a team he is willing to go to.
That is most likely what is going to happen.
Bill has made many bad decisions in personal as the GM.
There have been several possibilities discussed on Boston Sports Radio for months now.
The Washington Redskins is probably the most likely choice.
Full disclosure, as a Bills fan, it is painful to write in praise of either Tom Brady or Bill Belichick. Too many exposed raw nerves.
In College, it's all about recruiting.
Belichick had a great run where he was able to get veteran players at cheap prices at the end of their careers who were still pretty good (on defense at least). Their roster is simply not there now and it shows in their play.
To some extent I think that is the nature of football - sometimes a team clicks and you pick the right people and sometimes they don’t and your signings are duds. Same system and coaching but they can’t execute.
As an SEC fan I have seen this over and over - the NFL cycles through talent about as much as college teams these days. Coaching definitely impacts it (look at Denver and Russell Wilson now vs 7 weeks ago) but after what he produced I would give him a bit to get it straightened out before I entered the coaching carousel.
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