Adam Schefter
Mike Reiss
Mike Reiss
ESPN Workers Author
Mike Reiss is an NFL reporter at ESPN and covers the New England Patriots. Reiss has lined the Patriots since 1997 and joined ESPN in 2009. In 2019, he was named Massachusetts Sportswriter of the Yr by the Nationwide Sports activities Media Affiliation. You possibly can comply with Reiss on Twitter at @MikeReiss.
Invoice Belichick will not function New England Patriots coach after a outstanding 24 seasons, saying Thursday that “we will transfer on” whereas additionally trying again fondly at his unmatched run in NFL historical past that included six Tremendous Bowl titles.
Belichick and Patriots proprietor Robert Kraft spent a part of this week periodically assembly and discussing how all sides needed to proceed. From sources conversant in these conversations, there was stated to be no battle, no disagreement, and ultimately, productive talks resulted in a mutual determination that left either side snug and comfy.
Belichick Leaves Pats
• Belichick leaving Pats after 24 seasons, six titles• Belichick’s legacy: The NFL’s best dynasty• What’s Belichick’s market? We requested NFL execs• Pats timeline: From six titles to Belichick’s exit• The place it went improper: Inside Kraft-Belichick breakup• Social media response: LeBron, ex-Pats, extra• NFL teaching modifications: Newest information, hires
Throughout a information convention Thursday, Kraft known as Belichick the best coach of all time who deserved to be a first-ballot Corridor of Famer.
“This can be a transfer that we mutually agreed that’s wanted at the moment,” Kraft stated. “What Invoice completed, in my view, won’t ever be duplicated.”
Belichick, who stated he’ll “all the time be a Patriot,” thanked Kraft and his household for the chance and help, saying: “We had a imaginative and prescient of constructing a championship soccer crew that has exceeded my wildest goals and expectations. I am very pleased with that. I will all the time have these nice recollections, will carry these with me the remainder of my life.”
Belichick, who had one yr remaining on his contract, will likely be allowed to go away the crew with out the Patriots in search of compensation. He desires to proceed teaching and is anticipated to attract curiosity from a minimum of among the different seven NFL groups which have head-coaching vacancies, together with fairly presumably the Atlanta Falcons, league sources stated.
“It’s going to be troublesome to see him in a cutoff hoodie on the sideline, however I will all the time want him continued success, besides when it is towards the beloved Patriots,” Kraft stated.
CoachTeamWins*George HalasBears324Bill BelichickPatriots296Don ShulaDolphins274Tom LandryCowboys270* Together with playoffs– ESPN Stats & Info
The Patriots now will embark on their first head-coaching search in 1 / 4 century. Patriots linebackers coach Jerod Mayo, whom the crew signed to a contract extension within the offseason and Kraft has recognized as a rising head-coaching candidate, initiatives to be a, if not the, main candidate for the job, sources stated. Mayo performed for the Patriots from 2008 to 2015 and has been an assistant beneath Belichick since 2019.
If Mayo is in the end the selection, and the Patriots established a succession plan within the contract he signed final offseason, the group might rent him at any level with out going via the usual NFL hiring course of.
Kraft stated in a second information convention Thursday that he selected to not attempt to commerce Belichick, saying he “did not assume it was proper” to show the coach’s departure right into a transaction and evaluating the circumstances to Tom Brady leaving for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
“We’re searching for somebody who will help us get again to the playoffs and win,” Kraft stated.
Brady posted about Belichick’s departure on Instagram, calling him “one of the best coach within the historical past of the NFL.”
“We completed some wonderful issues over an extended time frame, a lot of which will likely be exhausting to duplicate,” Brady wrote. “He labored day-after-day to assist us obtain the final word objective, within the final crew sport. … I might by no means have been the participant I used to be with out you Coach Belichick. I’m endlessly grateful. And I want you one of the best of luck in no matter you select subsequent.”
Belichick’s exit from New England occurred lower than 24 hours after his shut buddy Nick Saban retired from Alabama.
There’s a symmetry and a similarity within the departures of two soccer legends — males who’re broadly thought-about the best coach in skilled historical past and the best coach in school soccer historical past. Belichick helped lead the Patriots to 9 Tremendous Bowl appearances and 6 Tremendous Bowl titles; Saban led Alabama to 9 SEC titles and 6 nationwide championships.
Moreover, Saban succeeded Pete Carroll because the Ohio State secondary coach in 1980; when Belichick was head coach in Cleveland, he labored with Saban from 1991 to 1994; and Belichick changed Carroll because the Patriots’ head coach in 2000, many years earlier than all three vacated their long-standing jobs this week in a 24-hour interval.
The truth that Belichick and Kraft are going their very own methods carries a component of unhappiness, however not shock. Kraft had identified how vital it was for the Patriots to make the playoffs this season. As a substitute, they have been one of many first groups eradicated, on Dec. 10.
Hypothesis about Belichick’s future swirled throughout the 2023 season, with one of many lowest factors for the crew coming Nov. 12 in a 10-6 loss to the Indianapolis Colts in Frankfurt, Germany.
CoachWinsBill Belichick31*Andy Reid22Tom Landry20Don Shula19* 30 with Patriots– ESPN Stats & Info
Earlier than that recreation, addressing this previous season, the 82-year-old Kraft instructed NFL Community: “It is actually been disappointing. I had hoped issues can be rather a lot higher, as I do know our fan base did. … This is not what we have been anticipating to occur this yr.”
One other key issue for Kraft was the franchise’s trajectory since Brady’s departure as a free agent after the 2019 season. Since shedding Brady, which pained Kraft, the Patriots have posted shedding information in three of their 4 seasons, and their final playoff win was a 13-3 conquer the Los Angeles Rams in Tremendous Bowl LIII on Feb. 3, 2019 — when Brady was on the crew.
Belichick, 71, leaves New England with 333 profession victories (together with playoffs), rating second all time behind Don Shula and his 347. Belichick, George Halas and Curly Lambeau are the one NFL coaches with six championships because the league started postseason play in 1933.
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Belichick’s 24-year tenure was the fifth-longest of any head coach with one crew. He had accomplished his forty ninth consecutive NFL season in 2023, essentially the most consecutive teaching seasons in league historical past.
He’s now seeking to spend season No. 50 with one other NFL franchise.
Kraft known as it an “emotional day” for the group whereas explaining why he believed it was the suitable determination.
“Our household is the custodian of this asset, the New England Patriots, and we all know how vital it’s to the psyche of the neighborhood,” Kraft stated. “What’s gone on right here the final three to 4 years is not what we wish, so we’ve a duty to do what we are able to to repair it to one of the best of our potential.”
As he departs New England, Belichick’s résumé consists of these marks which might be anticipated to face for the foreseeable future:
• 17 division titles, essentially the most by a head coach in NFL historical past, with Shula, Andy Reid and Tom Landry tied for second with 13.
• 9 convention championships, essentially the most by a head coach within the Tremendous Bowl period.
• 12 Tremendous Bowl appearances (together with his time as an assistant).
• 21 profitable seasons as a head coach, which trails solely Halas (40), Shula (33), Lambeau (33) and Landry (29).
• Certainly one of 4 undefeated and untied common seasons in NFL historical past (2007). It was the one one beneath the 16-game schedule performed from 1978 to 2020.
“Gamers win video games within the NFL,” Belichick stated. “I have been very, very lucky to educate among the best gamers to ever play the sport.”
