New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick said Monday he’s still “under contract” and will continue to “do what I always do,” adding that he’s willing to abdicate personnel responsibilities if that’s “the best thing to help our football team.”
Belichick, 71, made the comments during a 13-minute, end-of-season video conference with reporters. He will meet with Patriots owner Robert Kraft, which “might be a series of meetings.” Reports say those meetings will happen this week, possibly even Monday.
The Patriots’ 17-3 loss to the New York Jets on Sunday capped a 4-13 record, the worst in Belichick’s 29-year head coaching career.
“It was obviously a very disappointing season all the way around. Players, coaches, staff, organization, everybody is not anywhere close to what our standard and expectations are. So, obviously, things need to be fixed,” Belichick said, adding his approach doesn’t change based on the Week 18 result.
“I’m under contract, do what I always do, which is every day I come in and work as hard as I can to help the team in whatever way I can. So, that’s what I’m going to continue to do,” Belichick said. … So, as far as any decisions or direction or anything like that for next year, it’s way too early for that.”
Belichick was asked about giving up personnel control moving forward.
“Yeah, look, I’m for whatever, collectively, we decide as an organization is the best thing to help our football team. And I have multiple roles in that, and I rely on a lot of people to help me in those responsibilities. If somebody’s got to have the final say, I have it, and I rely on a lot of other people to help. And, however that process is, I’m only part of it.”
Belichick didn’t bite when asked if he expected Kraft to part ways with him.
“I’m going to focus on what I can control and focus on, and that’s my work ethic and my effort to do what I can to help the Patriots organization, which I’m heavily invested in,” he said.
–Field Level Media