Yea or Nay? Bill Belichick's Stunning Departure From New England...

Aaron Josefczyk. Shutterstock Images.

There’s been a lot of noise from the Bill Belichick yeasayers, especially after the former New England Patriots head coach took out a full-page ad in the Boston Globe last Sunday, thanking the fans. It was a heartfelt and humorous farewell worthy of a HOF coach, one with six rings.

The yeasayers believe Belichick was the victim of an unfair termination, especially after his 24-year run as Patriots' head coach and general manager that included 6 Super Bowl wins, 9 AFC Championships, and 17 Division Titles. They believe Belichick earned the right to go out on his own terms, and that he deserved another chance to right the ship in 2024 if he wanted, despite finishing 4-13 this past season, the most Patriot losses since 1992, when the Patriots finished 2-14 under Dick MacPherson.

The naysayers call out Belichick's record of 29-38 over the last four years, post-Brady, his 4-13 last-place finish in the AFC East this year, the first such finish since 2000, when, in Belichick's first season as Patriots head coach, he was 5-11. Those last-place finishes becoming the bookends of Belichick's storied career in New England.

But the biggest ax the naysayers have to grind is Belichick’s belief that “NFL Quarterbacks begin their decline in their mid-thirties." He was certain that his 37-year-old quarterback would soon start his decline without any evidence it was happening. 

He warned Robert Kraft about Brady’s age, and in 2014, Belichick drafted Jimmy Garoppolo 62nd overall, a move that initially took Brady by surprise until it became obvious Garoppolo was chosen to be his heir apparent. That’s when the Brady-Belichick relationship took a turn for the worse.

Tim Bradbury. Getty Images.

Brady responded to Belichick's preconceived notion about aging quarterbacks and his drafting of Garoppolo by leading the Patriots to four more Super Bowls (2014, 2016, 2017, 2018), winning three and two more Super Bowl MVP awards. Clearly, Brady wasn't in decline, and Garoppolo's presence on the roster only motivated him to prove his naysayers wrong. Garopollo was traded before the 2017 began, and 32-year-old Brian Hoyer returned to become Brady's backup.

The relationship between coach and quarterback continued deteriorating, and when Robert Kraft was only willing to sign Brady to a one-year contract in 2020, a disgruntled Brady left for Tampa Bay, where he signed a two-year deal worth $30 mil per season. 

In Tampa, there were playmakers, the kind Belichick wasn't surrounding him with in New England, and for a great quarterback like Brady, Tampa was turnkey.

Brady wasted little time, winning his seventh Super Bowl his first year out of New England, his fifth Super Bowl MVP, and at age 42, which, according to Belichick, was way past a quarterback’s prime.

Without a plan to replace Brady, Belichick and the Patriots struggled with Cam Newton under center. After finishing a disappointing 7-9, a riff between Belichick and Kraft began.

Elsa. Getty Images.

Finishing under .500 for only the third time since Kraft bought the team for $172 million in late January of 1994 was bad enough, but watching his former quarterback win a Super Bowl for another team had Kraft seething…

From 2014 until he retired as a Buccaneer in '22, Brady had a combined record of 103-29, a .780 winning percentage. Belichick clearly underestimated Brady’s ability to play quarterback at an elite level well into his 40s. But could you really blame him, no one had ever done it before.

Brady has since retired and signed a 10-year deal worth $375 million to become a Fox Sports analyst, with all but three fingers fitted with rings. Belichick, having parted ways with Kraft and the Patriots, is unemployed. 

They say you're worth whatever someone is willing to pay you.

Currently, there aren't any owners willing to take a flyer on Belichick, who will be 72 next season and still wants full control of his next team. Add in that he may only coach for two more years, or until he surpasses Don Shula's all-time wins record, and he’s not the future hire most owners are looking for. They're looking for younger coaches who can create a looser environment for their teams, a winning culture modern players will want to be part of. After the debacle in New England in 2023, they're not sure Belichick is the right guy for that job.

Belichick needs 27 more wins to surpass Shula's 328 regular season wins record, and it's doubtful he'd accept a position as defensive coordinator, a position that doesn't count toward career wins.

Belichick was adamant that NFL quarterbacks begin declining in their mid-thirties, a decline he was certain Brady was fast approaching.  

At what age would he say NFL head coaches begin their decline? 

Belichick was 68 when he finished 7-9 in 2020, a year after finishing 12-4, and only two years removed from an 11-5 finish and his sixth Super Bowl win. Or maybe age has nothing to do with it, and It Was Always Brady…

Jim Rogash. Getty Images.

FIVE OLDEST COACHES IN NFL HISTORY

5. Bill Belichick: 71 years, 269 days

4. Pete Carroll: 72 years, 117 days

3. Marv Levy: 72 years, 139 days

2. George Halas: 72, 318 days

1. Romeo Crennel: 73 years, 199 days