Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots part ways after 24 years and 6 Super Bowl wins. Less than 24 hours after Belichick and Robert Kraft announced the tenured head coach’s exit from the team. Mayo will formerly be introduced at Patriots press conference on Wednesday, January 17.
The New England Patriots made a significant coaching change by promoting Jerod Mayo, the linebackers coach and former Patriots player, to the position of head coach.
Belichick spent 24 years as the Head Coach of the New England Patriots. During his tenure, the team garnered an unprecedented 6 Super Bowl wins, often referred to as a the “golden” Belichick-Brady era.
Bill Belichick leaving New England Patriots
The news comes after a rather disappointing season for the Patriots and the worst performance in Bill Belichick’s nearly quarter century career. Patriots fans, who’ve become accustomed to winning, were frustrated with the 4-13 performance of the past season. The poor performance had many wondering if this would be Bill Belichick’s last season as Head Coach of the New England Patriots. Just this morning, the doubts were answered:
And while this season might not show it, Bill Belichick, is marked as “one of the greatest NFL coaches of all time.” His remarkable 333 career victories as head coach is only surpassed by Don Shula’s 347.
While Bill Belichick will not be returning to the Patriots, neither as head coach or any other role, no sources have confirmed retirement. He is out of work and it is unclear what his next steps are. Whether he will coach a different team or assume a new role remains to be seen.
But his future will include a bust in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Being recognized for the most Super Bowl wins of any hall of fame coach.
Who will be the new Patriots head coach?
As for the Patriots, they are now recruiting a new head coach. Who will fill Bill Belichick’s shoes is yet to be determined. But the Atlanta Falcons are interested in recruiting Bill Belichick to fill their vacant head-coach position.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that Jerod Mayo “projects to be a, if not the, leading candidate for the job,” as the future head coach of the New England Patriots. ESPN’s Dan Graziano is reporting that Jerod Mayo, Mike Vrabel and Brian Flores are the “most likely” options to succeed Belichick.
Robert Kraft’s message to fans
While the future of the Patriots is up in the air, Owner Robert Kraft shared a message to fans at a press conference held at noon on Thursday, January 11:
““I’ll just say we’re looking for someone who can help us get back to the playoffs and win. Believe me, after my family, this is really one of the two most important assets in my life. I am very upset when we don’t win games, and it carries the whole week. So I promise you I’ll be focused to do the best I can do to make sure we’re putting ourselves in the best long-term position to win for many years,” noted Kraft.