After being unable to come to an agreement on the future direction of the New England Patriots, legendary head coach Bill Belichick will reportedly part ways with the organization he has called home for the last 24 years.
There have been rumblings for weeks that one of the greatest eras in football history could soon come to an end. After a pair of down seasons and a horrible showing in 2023, Bill Belichick’s tenure with the Patriots seemed on shaky ground, despite a long resume of success. However, “Black Monday” came and went and there was radio silence from New England on the 71-year-old’s future.
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Well, the hammer fell on Thursday morning. ESPN was one of the first outlets to report the organization and the iconic head coach is set to end their relationship after 24 unforgettable seasons that forever changed the Patriots franchise.
New England Patriots will not trade Bill Belichick to his next team
“Belichick and Patriots owner Robert Kraft spent a good part of this week periodically meeting and discussing how each side wanted to proceed,” ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter reported. “From sources familiar with those conversations, there was said to be no conflict, no disagreement, and in the end, productive talks resulted in a mutual decision that left both sides comfortable and at ease.”
The outlet revealed that Belichick “will be allowed to leave the team without the Patriots seeking compensation” from another organization in a trade. He is expected to continue his career as he chases legendary Miami Dolphins head coach Don Shula for the all-time NFL wins mark.
The organization choosing not to trade Belichick is a surprising revelation, considering he had another year left on his contract and they would have likely gotten serious interest from other teams. However, both allegedly “took the high road” in their talks, and not being traded likely was a part of the agreement for a switch at head coach.
The organization announced that Kraft and Belichick will hold a joint press conference to explain the historic news today at noon ET.
Bill Belichick’s legendary Patriots legacy
While the post-Tom Brady seasons of Belichick’s New England run are what sunk his career with the team, there is no denying the monumental impact he had on the organization and the NFL during his time in Massachusetts.
The former Cleveland Browns head coach finished with a 387-266 record overseeing the team and took them to nine Super Bowls and won six. The Pats won 17 AFC East division titles during his time, including in 11 straight seasons. He will go down as one of the most influential defensive minds in NFL history and is seen as one of the greatest coaches of all time in any sport.
The person that takes over for Belichick will have gargantuan shoes to fill in replacing one of the men that would be on the Mount Rushmore of NFL head coaches.
