Is Bill Belichick leaving the Patriots? 6x Super Bowl-winning HC makes stance clear on coaching future
The 2023 NFL season continues to unravel for Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots. The franchise suffered another excruciating loss on Sunday, losing 10-7 to the New York Giants.
The Patriots had the chance to potentially win the game by sending the game in to overtime, but rookie kicker Chad Ryland missed a short field goal attempt in the final seconds of the game, handing the Giants the win.
The loss saw the Patriots slump to 2-9, ensuring that they will finish the campaign with a losing record regardless of the results of their remaining six games. This will be the franchise's second-straight losing season after finishing 8-9 last year.
The Patriots last endured back-to-back losing seasons in 1992 and 1993. The franchise enjoyed seven straight seasons with a record of .500 or better between 1982 and 1988 before having five years without a winning season until head coach Bill Parcells led them to a 10-6 record in 1994.
The Patriots' worst stretch of form in three decades has rang alarm bells in New England. Multiple reports have claimed that the franchise will part ways with Belichick at the end of the season, and the head coach already has another team waiting in the wings for him to take over in 2024.
Belichick was asked about those rumors on the Greg Hill Show and the head coach responded in his patented stoic fashion. He said:
"Yeah, that's ridiculous. Just trying to do the best I can right now. Obviously, we need to be better."
Patriots to fire Bill Belichick? Latest on the legendary head coach's potential exit
The Patriots' season continues to hit new lows every passing week, and the noise surrounding the team's future is getting louder and louder. But Bill Belichick claims he's compartmentalizing the situation. He said:
"I don't worry about what everyone else is saying. I've heard good, I've heard bad. It doesn't matter. I don't really care."
While Belichick has been defiant in answering questions about his future with the Patriots, the franchise's increasingly despondent state could force owner Robert Kraft's hand into making massive changes before the 2024 season.
Last week, Kraft did a pre-game interview with Rich Eisen before his team went to battle against the Indianapolis Colts in Germany. During the interview, he said:
"This is the 30th year that I've had the privilege of owning this team. And I've never been 2-7. So, it's really disappointing. I had hoped that things would be a lot better, as I know our fanbase did. And I hope today is a chance to reset and make this a much better year. This isn't what we were expecting to happen this year."
The Patriots lost to the Colts and the subsequent match against the Giants. The most successful NFL team of the 21st century is likely to hit the reset button in 2024. What that would mean for Bill Belichick's future with the franchise remains to be seen.