FOXBOROUGH.- Bill Belichick had a vision of putting together a championship-caliber team year after year that had rarely been seen in the NFL when he was hired by New England Patriots.
He leaves with the intuition that he accomplished his mission.
The six-time champion of the NFL agreed Thursday to part ways as head coach of the Patriots, ending his 24-year cycle as architect of the league’s most decorated dynasty in the NBA era. Super Bowl.
“There are so many fond memories and thoughts about the Patriots“Belichick said Thursday when appearing before the press with the owner Robert Kraft. “I will always be a Patriot. I look forward to returning. But we have to move forward. And I look forward to the future with enthusiasm.”
Belichick and Kraft did not respond to questionsalthough Kraft plans to speak to the press later.
Belichick, 71, became just the third head coach in NFL history to reach 300 regular-season wins earlier this seasonjoining Hall of Fame members Don Shula y George Halas. With 333 wins, including playoffs, Belichick trails only Shula (347 wins) for most wins by a coach.
But the Patriots They finished this season with a 4-13 record, Belichick’s worst in 29 years as head coach of the NFL. He eclipsed the 5-11 mark he posted in his final year in Cleveland in 1995 and again in his first year in New England in 2000. Including the playoffs, he ends his tenure with the Patriots with an overall record of 333 wins and 178 losses.
The six victories of Super Bowl tie Belichick with his pre-merger mentors, Halas and Curly Lambeauwith the largest number of championships in the NFL. Belichick also won two rings as defensive coordinator for Bill Parcells with the New York Giants.
With his cutoff sweatshirts and scowl, Belichick struck up a partnership with the quarterback Tom Brady for the ones Patriots won six times the Super Bowl, in addition to nine titles from the American Conference and 17 division championships in 19 years. During his short but tumultuous time with the originals Browns de Clevelandthe legend added 37 victories.
Replacement for an NFL icon:
It is anyone’s guess who Kraft will name as successor to the future member of the Hall of Fame.
Jerod Mayolinebackers coach of the Patriots and who won a Super Bowl under Belichick, he has been a candidate to fill several head coaching vacancies since being hired as a New England assistant in 2019. Mayo declined several interviews last offseason before signing a contract extension to continue with the Patriots.
It is also expected that Mike Vrabelwho was fired earlier this week by the Titans de Tennessee and won three Super Bowls with the Patriots, be a candidate for the head coaching position in New England.
Belichick had been a mentor to the offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, but he accepted an offer to direct the Raiders after the 2021 season. He was later fired by Las Vegas. Belichick’s two sons, Steve and Brian, were also on the coaching staff.
Source: AP
