Bill Belichick has become one of the marquee names in the NFL coaching hierarchy. Thatâs why he told New England Patriots fans that the past 25 years were reason enough to be optimistic about next season.
But the team has done a lot to improve in the offseason. There are serious doubts about their ability to keep up in the now-stacked AFC East, especially upon Aaron Rodgersâ expected arrival in New York.
Belichick drew some criticism for those comments, which is why he had to clear the air and let it be known that he does not intendto just live off the past, stating that the team will look to compete at the highest level.
Patriots Wonât Sleep On Their Laurels, Claims Bill Belichick
âWeâre not resting on our past laurels; thatâs not the message to the team or the fans,â Belichick said, as quoted by NBC Sportsâ ProFootballTalk. âWe have never operated that way and arenât now.â
Robert Kraft Wonât CommitAbout Belichickâs Future
Notably, Belichick knows he canât afford to have another losing season, especially being so close to breaking Don Shulaâs record. Moreover, team owner Robert Kraft may not allow him to stay long enough to break it if things donât improve soon:
âYou guys have posted a losing record two of the last three seasons,â a reporter asked Kraft. âIf that happens again, could Bill [Belichickâs] job be in jeopardy, or is he here to break Don Shulaâs all-time wins record and beyond?â
âLook, Iâd like him to break Don Shulaâs record, but Iâm not looking for any our players to get great stats,â Kraft said. âWeâre about winning, and doing whatever we can to win. And thatâs what our focus is now. And I â itâs very important to me that we make the playoffs, and thatâs what I hope happens next year.â
The Patriots have gone to great lengths to build a winning culture, and this is a ruthless and merciless business. So, yeah, not even the legendary Bill Belichick might be safe from getting the boot.
