Invoice Belichick leaving Patriots after 24 seasons, sources say

Invoice Belichick and the New England Patriots are anticipated to half methods Thursday after a exceptional 24 seasons collectively, ending an unmatched run in NFL historical past that included six Tremendous Bowl titles, league sources advised ESPN.

Belichick and Patriots proprietor Robert Kraft spent an excellent a part of this week periodically assembly and discussing how either side wished to proceed. From sources aware of these conversations, there was stated to be no battle, no disagreement, and ultimately, productive talks resulted in a mutual determination that left either side snug and comfy.

Each Belichick and Kraft, as one outdoors occasion famous, “took the excessive highway,” which was applicable for an owner-coach tandem that can go down as one of many biggest and most adorned in NFL historical past.

Belichick, who had one 12 months remaining on his contract, will probably be allowed to depart the staff with out the Patriots in search of compensation. He’ll wish to proceed teaching and is anticipated to attract curiosity from no less than a few of the different seven NFL groups which have head-coaching vacancies, fairly probably the Atlanta Falcons, league sources stated.

The Patriots now will embark on their first head-coaching search in a quarter-century. Patriots linebackers coach Jerod Mayo, whom the staff signed to a contract extension within the offseason and Kraft has recognized as a rising head-coaching candidate, tasks to be a, if not the, main candidate for the job, sources stated. Mayo performed for the Patriots from 2008 to 2014 and has been an assistant below Belichick since 2019.

Belichick’s exit from New England is anticipated to return lower than 24 hours after his shut pal Nick Saban retired from Alabama.

There’s a symmetry and a similarity within the goodbye of two soccer legends — males which are extensively thought of the best coach in skilled historical past and the best coach in school soccer historical past. Belichick helped lead the Patriots to 9 Tremendous Bowl appearances and 6 Tremendous Bowl titles; Saban led Alabama to 9 SEC titles and 6 nationwide championships.

Moreover, Saban succeeded Pete Carroll because the Ohio State secondary coach in 1980; Belichick labored with Saban in Cleveland from 1991 to 1994; and Belichick changed Carroll because the Patriots head coach in 2000 earlier than all three vacated their long-standing jobs this week in a 24-hour interval.

The truth that Belichick and Kraft are going their very own methods carries a component of unhappiness, however not shock. Kraft had identified how vital it was for the Patriots to make the playoffs this season. As an alternative, they have been one of many first groups eradicated on Dec. 10.

Hypothesis about Belichick’s future swirled over the 2023 season, with one of many lowest factors for the staff coming Nov. 12 in a 10-6 loss to the Indianapolis Colts in Frankfurt, Germany.

Earlier than that sport, addressing this previous season, the 82-year-old Kraft advised NFL Community: “It is actually been disappointing. I had hoped issues could be so much higher, as I do know our fan base did. … This is not what we have been anticipating to occur this 12 months.”

One other key issue for Kraft was the franchise’s trajectory for the reason that departure of quarterback Tom Brady as a free agent after the 2019 season. Since dropping Brady, which pained Kraft, the Patriots have posted dropping data in three of their 4 seasons, and their final playoff win was a 13-3 conquer the Los Angeles Rams in Tremendous Bowl LIII on Feb. 3, 2019 — when Brady was nonetheless on the staff.

Belichick, 71, leaves New England with 333 profession victories, rating second all-time behind Don Shula and his 347. Belichick, George Halas and Curly Lambeau are the one NFL coaches with six championships for the reason that league started postseason play in 1933.

Belichick’s 24-year tenure was the fifth longest of any head coach with one staff. He had accomplished his forty ninth consecutive NFL season in 2023, essentially the most consecutive teaching seasons in league historical past.

He’s now trying to spend season No. 50 with one other NFL franchise.

Belichick’s résumé additionally contains these marks which are anticipated to face for the foreseeable future:

• 17 division titles, essentially the most by a head coach in NFL historical past, with Shula, Andy Reid and Tom Landry tied for second with 13.

• 9 convention championships, essentially the most by a head coach within the Tremendous Bowl period.

• 12 Tremendous Bowl appearances (together with his time as an assistant).

• 21 profitable seasons as a head coach, which trails solely Halas (40), Shula (33), Lambeau (33) and Landry (29).

• Considered one of 4 undefeated and untied common seasons in NFL historical past (2007). It was the one one below the 16-game schedule performed from 1978 to 2020.

The Patriots are anticipated to carry a information convention in some unspecified time in the future Thursday, and it’ll mark the tip of a exceptional period in Patriots and soccer historical past.