In the past week, the New England Patriots parted ways with longtime head coach Bill Belichick after a 24-year tenure. The Patriots finished 4-13, ranking last in the AFC East and the worst in Belichick’s head coaching career.
Following the departure of legendary quarterback Tom Brady, the team has not been the same. The Patriots have only recorded one playoff appearance in the last four years since Brady’s departure and have not won a division title. During the season, Patriots owner Robert Kraft had been publicly frustrated with the Patriots level of play. This led to many wondering if a potential coaching change would happen. The Patriots offense struggled mightily, notably averaging 12.3 points per game on the offensive side of the ball, ranking last in the league.
Belichick will always be remembered fondly by the Patriots. With six Super Bowl wins and an era of dominance that had not been seen in the modern sports era, the Patriots have every reason to be thankful for what he has accomplished. However, all dynasties can fall in the most ugly of ways and the Patriots were no exception.
Now, the person responsible for bringing the Patriots back on track is linebackers coach Jerod Mayo, who had won a Super Bowl ring as a player on the Patriots. Following his playing career, he worked with Belichick as a linebackers coach and signed a contract extension with the team last year after interviewing for multiple head coaching vacancies around the league.
With these coaching vacancies open around the league, many are speculating where Belichick will land. The current favorite is the Atlanta Falcons, who are coming off of a 7-10 season and are looking for a new coach to guide them back to the playoffs. Given the uncertainty about the Falcons quarterback position, it could appear more likely that they decide to hire a head coach who specializes on the offensive side of the ball.
Another team that could have interest in Belichick is the Dallas Cowboys. Following their surprising 48-32 defeat to the No. 7 seed Green Bay Packers, owner Jerry Jones refused to comment on the future of their head coach, Mike McCarthy. Bringing in Belichick would raise a question about how the two would share power. Both Belichick and Jones have had the final say in how their rosters were constructed and finding a way for both to share duties is difficult to envision. However, Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated has noted that the two have a “very solid” relationship.
Setting aside the speculation over what the next chapter in Belichick’s coaching career might be, his tenure in New England was nothing short of exceptional. His attention to detail helped prepare his players for what was going to happen. This, coupled with his culture of accountability will follow him to his next destination.
