Latest On Bill Belichick’s Future With Patriots

Update:

Ian Rapoport of NFL Media reports that the fate of Patriots HC Bill Belichick has not been decided yet.

• Rapoport’s sources have said that Robert Kraft has not come to a firm conclusion on what will happen next concerning Belichick and his future with the team.
• According to Rapoport, the way New England finishes out the season could “a long way in determining what’s next.”
• Rapoport’s sources maintain that all options are still on the table for this situation including the Patriots firing Belichick, a mutual parting of ways and a potential trade.
• Of the three, Rapoport says Belichick being fired “appears to be the least likely.”
• Internally, Belichick hasn’t given any indication of what may coming in the next few weeks.
• A win over the Chiefs could go a long way toward Belichick remaining in New England. Conversely, Rapoport says that a blowout loss like the Chargers’ game against the Raiders could push ownership down the path of moving on.

Here’s a quick round-up of reports regarding Patriots HC Bill Belichick’s future. 

• Dianna Russini of The Athletic reports that most believe there will be a mutual parting of ways between the Patriots and HC Bill Belichick after the season.
• According to Russini, the Patriots are not trading for Titans HC Mike Vrabel to replace Belichick, despite the ongoing speculation.
• Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports reports that sources around the NFL believe Belichick is coaching his final games for the Patriots.
• As of now, Belichick has reportedly given no indications of his future plans, However, Jones says it’s widely believed he wants to get the all-time wins record for a head coach.
• A league source mentioned a scenario to Jones where Belichick could force a stare-down with the Patriots to get them to fire him instead of keeping a trade scenario on the table where Belichick’s next team would end up giving up a valuable draft pick for him.

Belichick, 71, got his start coaching in the NFL in 1975 with the then-Baltimore Colts. He had assistant jobs with the Lions and Broncos before landing with the Giants, where he eventually rose to defensive coordinator under legendary HC Bill Parcells. 

The Browns hired Belichick as head coach in 1991 and he was in the post for five years before being fired. He rejoined Parcells as an assistant with the Patriots and left to go with him to the Jets the following year.

He was slated to replace Parcells as head coach of the Jets in 2000 but infamously resigned and was hired by the Patriots, who had to give up a first-round pick to the Jets as compensation. Belichick has been in New England ever since, winning six Super Bowls in 24 years. 

For his career, Belichick has a record of 300-158 over 29 seasons (.655 W/L percentage) and has eight Super Bowl rings, six of them as head coach of the Patriots. He’s a three-time winner of the AP Coach of the Year award. 

We’ll have more on the Patriots and Belichick as the news is available.