All eyes are on the New England Patriots as rumors of a potential split between the team and longtime coach Bill Belichick continue to swirl after a disastrous 4-13 season.
Belichick gave his coaching staff “the next couple weeks off,” Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer reported Wednesday, adding, “Some are still in finishing up work. They’re scheduled to be back in a week from Monday.”
The report comes two days after Belichick’s end-of-season press conference, where the Super Bowl-winning coach sounded open to returning for a 25th campaign with the Patriots — even stating he would consider conceding control over the team’s personnel to focus on head coaching responsibilities.
“I’m for whatever collectively we decide as an organization is the best thing to help our football team,” said Belichick, who is still under contract with the Patriots. “I have multiple roles in that, and I rely on a lot of people to help me in those responsibilities.
“Somebody’s gotta have the final say. I have it, I rely on a lot of other people to help. Whatever process that is, I’m only part of it.”
Belichick is reportedly set to meet with team owner Robert Kraft and team president Jonathan Kraft this week and over the next few weeks discuss a plan for the future.
The Patriots finished the season at the bottom of the AFC East. Their 4-13 record was the franchise’s worst since 1992.
New England also missed the postseason for the third time in four years following Tom Brady’s departure in 2020.
As of Monday, the Patriots were continuing to discuss potential new personnel additions, according to CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson.
That could help with Belichick being stretched so thin — if the Patriots opt to retain the 71-year-old coach.
Belichick, an eight-time Super Bowl winner — with six of those titles coming as a head coach with thr Patriots — could also take his talents to another team.
The Atlanta Falcons will have “strong interest” in Belichick as their next head coach if he leaves New England, ESPN’s Dan Graziano reported on Monday, adding “people close to Belichick believe (Atlanta) would be a good fit for him.”
Although the future is uncertain in New England, Kraft reportedly has been upset with Belichick for some time.
After the Patriots’ embarrassing 10-6 loss to the Indianapolis Colts in Frankfurt, Germany, on Nov. 12, NBC Sports’ Tom E. Curran reported the team would be parting ways with Belichick at the end of the 2023 season.
Curran doubled down on his previous report Wednesday on his “Patriots Talk” podcast.
“The decision remains, Bill Belichick will not be back as the head coach for the Patriots in 2024,” Curran said. “That being the case, why the wait?
“And I think it has a lot to do with the untangling of the 24-year union with an individual and that untangling is going to take some time, especially if you want to keep the relationship in tact going forward.”