The 2023 NFL season has been, to put it lightly, a huge disaster for the New England Patriots. So much that, for the first time in decades, Bill Belichick‘s job looks up in the air.
The longtime coach may have led the franchise to six Super Bowl rings, but nothing has gone to plan since Tom Brady left in 2020. It’s safe to say New England hit rock bottom this season, finishing bottom of the AFC East with a 4-13 record.
The Patriots’ lack of success in the post-Brady era has been alarming, with the team making just one playoff appearance in the last four years — a 17-47 loss to the Buffalo Bills in the 2021 Wild Card.
The franchise clearly needs to make changes in the offseason, which is why Belichick’s future is giving a lot to talk about. However, instead of firing him, the Patriots could opt just to remove the coach from his GM duties. Speaking to reporters, Belichick suggested he’s willing to give up that role.
New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick exits the field after the Patriots 27-17 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs at Gillette Stadium on December 17, 2023 in Foxborough, Massachusetts.
Bill Belichick open to give up GM role to continue as Patriots HC
“Look, I’m for whatever we decide collectively as an organization is the best thing to help our football team,” Belichick said Monday in his end-of-season conference, via NESN. “I have multiple roles in that, and I rely on a lot of people to help me in those responsibilities. Somebody’s got to have the final say. I have it. I rely on a lot of other people to help. Whatever that process is, I’m only part of it.”
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This could be enough for the Patriots, who may have second thoughts about parting with the most successful coach they’ve ever had. While Belichick’s coaching abilities seem unmatchable, his decisions as the de-facto general manager did leave a lot to be desired.
The Patriots’ use of draft picks and free agent signings haven’t paid off in recent years, which resulted in the disfunctional team we’ve witnessed in 2023. If Belichick is open to working next to another GM making big decisions, it would be quite a change for New England after years of having the same person doing everything.
