The North Carolina Tar Heels have a new head coach for the upcoming NCAAF season, and it’s none other than the multi-champion with the New England Patriots, Bill Belichick. His time in Foxboro brought great achievements, as well as notable differences with Robert Kraft, one of the NFL’s historic owners.
Far from settling old grudges, Belichick recently spoke to the press and, while addressing the main differences between coaching at the elite level and leading in College Football, the multiple Super Bowl champion took a subtle jab at the Patriots’ owner.
“There’s no owner, there’s no owner’s son, there’s no cap, everything that goes with the marketing and everything else, which I’m all for that. But it’s way less of what it was at that level,” Belichick said via Ben Volin of The Boston Globe.
“Generic NFL teams, you have the owner, president, general manager, personnel director, college director, pro director, cap guy, some other consultant, then head coach. I’d say when we had our best years in New England, we had fewer people and more of a direct vision. And as that expanded, it became harder to be successful.”
Owner Robert Kraft (L) hugs head coach Bill Belichick (R) of the New England Patriots.
The risk Kraft took
New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft has caused a stir with his recent reflections on the decision to hire the franchise’s iconic head coach, Bill Belichick. In a surprising revelation, Kraft reportedly asserted that bringing on Belichick was a considerable risk, a statement that seemed to catch the six-time Super Bowl champion off-guard.
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The coach’s reaction to the comment—reportedly one of unease—has fanned the flames of speculation regarding the true nature of their long-standing relationship. The public airing of this private doubt has ignited a broader discussion across the league, with many questioning why Kraft would choose to frame the acquisition of arguably the greatest coach in NFL history as a risk, especially given the unprecedented dynasty that followed.
The remarks appear to diminish Belichick’s immense contributions to the team’s success, leaving fans and analysts to wonder if there’s an underlying tension between the two powerful figures that goes beyond this single comment.
The dynasty built by Kraft and Belichick
Over two decades, the tandem of head coach Bill Belichick and quarterback Tom Brady, under the ownership of Robert Kraft, forged one of the most dominant dynasties in professional sports history. From 2001 to 2019, the New England Patriots became a model of consistent excellence, capturing an astounding six Super Bowl championships—a record for any single franchise.
This unparalleled era of success was built on the synergy between Belichick’s tactical genius and Brady’s unrivaled leadership and performance, with Kraft providing the foundational stability and resources. Their collective achievements redefined what a team could accomplish in the modern NFL and cemented their legacies as legends of the game.
