Bill Belichick, Patriots 'Mutually Agreed' To Part Ways

FOXBOROUGH, MA —The day has finally come in New England. Tom Brady is gone and retired. Now, Bill Belichick, the architect of the Patriots dynasty, is out the door as well.

During a Thursday news conference, Belichick and team owner Robert Kraft addressed the media, announcing what everyone in attendance and everyone viewing at home already knew: Bill Belichick will not return as head coach.

“I haven’t seen this many cameras since we signed Tebow,” Belichick said with a laugh.

Belichick said he and Kraft had “mutually agreed” to part ways.

“For me this is a day of gratitude and celebration,” he said.

Watch the news conference live here:

Belichick’s legacy is unimpeachable: six Super Bowls as head coach, second all-time in wins and one of the two most crucial elements to a dynasty the league — one based on parity — has never seen before.

Belichick thanked those within the organization who helped him along the way, and gave a special note to the players who he coached.

“Players win games in the NFL and I’ve been very, very fortunate to coach some of the greatest players that have ever played,” he said.

Belichick will not be traded even though he was under contract for one more year, giving him the option to go anywhere he chooses while leaving the Patriots without additional draft capital from his departure.

It’s likely a measure of goodwill towards Belichick, who has given so much to the organization for over two decades. Reports of the discussions between Belichick and Kraft said the two were measured and amicable, indicating that, despite their differences of opinion throughout the years, the two understand what each has allowed the other to achieve.

“Like a good marriage, a successful head coach-owner relationship requires a lot of hard work, and I’m very proud that our partnership lasted for 24 years,” Kraft said. “I don’t think in the NFL there’s been any partnership that lasted longer and has been as productive as ours.”

Belichick, whose status at the top of the Patriots football operation has been in growing tumult since the departure of longtime quarterback Tom Brady, leaves New England as the coach with the most Super Bowl victories in league history, all won with the Patriots.

However, his final two years have been far from rosy.

The team has a losing record over the last two years, an anomaly for the Belichick era.

Mac Jones, the quarterback drafted to replace Brady, had a solid rookie campaign but backslid hard during his last two seasons and was benched during 2023, likely for good in New England.

Personnel, coaching and free agent spending decisions have all colored Belichick's legacy as he leaves New England, but only slightly.

Belichick remains widely regarded as one of the game's greatest coaches and defensive minds — if not the best. He sits in second place on the all-time wins list, is first in playoff wins and second in total games as a head coach.

Belichick is one of only three coaches to have won six Super Bowls and won the AP Coach of the Year award three times. A student of the game, Belichick's legacy is cemented in the history books as the coaching selection for the NFL 2000s and 2010s All-Decade Team, and a selection on the 100th Anniversary All-Time Team.

With all that at the front of mind, Kraft spoke glowingly of what the duo achieved together.

“I trusted my instincts to bring Bill back to New England in 2000, after immediately regretting not hiring him after working with him together in 1996,” Kraft said.

“We had high expectations over those years for what we could achieve together. I think we were the only ones who had those expectations and, I think it’s safe to say we exceeded them,” Kraft said.

“We did,” Belichick added.

Kraft also noted the odd circumstance he finds himself in, firing the man who is largely believed to be the sharpest football mind to ever live. He said Belichick should be a first ballot Hall of Famer.

“Why? Because he is the greatest coach of all time,” Kraft said. “Which makes this decision to part ways so hard, but this is a move that we mutually agreed that is needed at this time.”

Nostalgia is a powerful feeling though, making the day a difficult one for fans, even those who clamored for a change of direction after a disappointing season.

“I recognize that it is also a very emotional day for many of our fans — most of our fans — as it represents the end of an era. One that hopefully will always be celebrated in this region,” Kraft said.

“The man standing to my left brought the leadership and coaching skills that were needed to make this type of unprecedented success that we have had possible. Coach Belichick will forever be celebrated as a legendary sports icon here in New England.”

What comes next for the Patriots is a coaching search that many expect to center around two people, both with ties to the organization.

First is Jerod Mayo, the heir apparent to Belichick who is already on the staff. The other is Mike Vrabel, a former Patriot and Coach of the Year winner during his stint with the Titans, which ended this week.

For Belichick, the task is roughly the same. It’s expected that he will seek a new start somewhere else in the league, which currently has seven openings, not including New England.

“It will be difficult to see him in a cutoff hoodie on the sideline,” Kraft said.

Even in his new chapter, Belichick and the Patriots will always be tied together. Much like Tom Brady, Belichick understands what team he will represent when his image is cast in Canton.

“I’ll always be a Patriot,” he said. “I look forward to coming back here but, at this time, we’re going to move on.”