Just six years ago, the sole thought of Bill Belichick being fired by the New England Patriots would’ve been laughable. The architect behind the most feared dynasty in NFL history would never be sent out the door, not even by a pragmatic and often controversial owner like Robert Kraft.
But a lot has transpired ever since. Tom Brady’s departure came with multiple reports of Belichick being the one to blame for his discontent, and the countless struggles on the field have led some fans to wonder whether the legendary coach was actually more of a myth.
Robert Kraft hinted at moving on from Belichick this season if the team didn’t start winning again. They’re 2-7 after nine weeks, and a recent report by Ben Volin of the Boston Globe once again raised questions about Belichick’s job security if he failed to beat the Indianapolis Colts in Germany.
As crazy as it may have seemed years ago, Sunday’s international clash could be the last time we see Bill Belichick coaching the team, and the dream of him breaking Don Shula’s record for the most wins all-time could end up being just that, a dream.
Belichick Could Be On His Way Out
“Based on my conversations, I don’t think it’s 100 percent that Belichick finishes out this season,” Volin wrote. “These next two games before the bye are huge, particularly the Germany game, which is practically the team’s Super Bowl for the Krafts. If Belichick loses at home to the Commanders and then to the Colts, and comes home from Germany with a 2-8 record, I think there’s a chance the Krafts could make the move in the bye week and install Jerod Mayo as the interim coach for the final seven games.”
The Patriots did lose to the Washington Commanders. On top of that, Belichick traded for J.C. Jackson, who didn’t even make the travel to Germany for undisclosed disciplinary reasons. He’s failed to find and develop talent in the NFL Draft as well, so he doesn’t have anything going on for him right now except for his history with the team.
If someone deserves the benefit of the doubt, that’s definitely Bill Belichick. Even if Brady was more responsible for the team’s success, there’s no actual way of knowing that. He’s earned his stripes and his bragging rights. Then again, this is a cruel business, and what you did in the past can only do so much for you.
Who’s Next In Line?
Throughout the course of the years, analysts, fans, and beat writers have speculated that former NFL star Jerod Mayo would eventually take the reins. And with Josh McDaniels gone, that possibility becomes even more likely, according to Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk:
“A belief has emerged in recent years that Mayo will be the successor to Belichick. Some believe Mayo has been promised the job. That outcome potentially assumes a passing of the torch, not a crash-and-burn exit. At this point, owner Robert Kraft might feel compelled to press the reset button and start over completely, ridding the franchise of all things Bill,” wrote Florio.
It’s crazy to imagine the Patriots not being coached by Bill Belichick. Then again, that might be just what they need to turn the franchise around, as they’re playing outdated football and clearly need to do a better job of finding talent in the NFL Draft and free agency. Will it happen? We’ll have to wait and see.
SURVEY Should the Patriots fire Belichick?
Should the Patriots fire Belichick?
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