Bill Belichick is out after coaching the Patriots for 24 years.

Posted By on January 11, 2024

Jan 7, 2024; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick watches from the sideline as they take on the New York Jets at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports/File Photo

Bill Belichick is out as head coach of the New England Patriots. Belichick and the organization mutually agreed to part ways, ending the most historic run in NFL history by any coach.

After 24 years of leading the Patriots, Belichick is moving on. He reportedly still wants to coach and he will have multiple suitors.  

Belichick’s run with the Patriots was unprecedented. He won six Super Bowls, 17 AFC East titles, 9 AFC Championships and 31 playoff games. His 31-13 playoff record is the best in league history. Belichick’s overall regular season record with the Patriots was 266-121. 

Belichick turned the Patriots around. They went from a laughingstock to the best franchise in the NFL. He did it using the Patriot Way. A system built on a team first approach and guys buying into a specific role to help the team win. It wasn’t a revolutionary concept by any means but winning made it easier for players to buy in and the result was unprecedented success.

A big part of the Patriots success of course was quarterback Tom Brady. Belichick drafted Brady in the 6th round of the 2000 NFL Draft on the advice of quarterbacks coach Dick Rehbein. Under Belichick’s tutelage, Brady went on to have the greatest career in NFL history, winning six of his seven Super Bowls with the Patriots.

Since Brady’s departure however, the Patriots have struggled. They have a 29-39 record and have only made the playoffs once. Saddled by Belichick’s bad personnel decision and poor drafting in recent years, the Patriots have gone from the standard in the NFL, to an after thought. It was time for a change.

For only the third time since Robert Kraft bought the Patriots in 1994, he will be hiring a new head coach. There will be plenty of names mentioned but whoever takes over, will have big shoes to fill. Replacing arguably the greatest coach in NFL history will not be easy.

We all owe Bill Belichick a debt of gratitude. He changed the landscape of football in New England. The region went from just having a team that competed on occasion to being the epicenter of the NFL. Belichick’s run was truly remarkable.

Thank you Bill.