What Bill Belichick had to say after what could be his final game with Patriots
FOXBORO -- If Sunday really was the final game for Bill Belichick as head coach of the Patriots, it was not a very fitting end to his incredible run in New England. An awful 2023 Patriots season ended with an ugly 17-3 loss to the New York Jets on a snowy afternoon in Foxboro.
With the loss, the Patriots finish the season with an embarrassing 4-13 record. Belichick had never coached a team with more than 12 losses before this year. Prior to this season, Belichick's worst in New England was his first, a 5-11 campaign in 2000.
'"Disappointing year for all of us; the players, coaches, staff, the entire organization. Not anything that any of us are in any way content with," Belichick said after Sunday's defeat. "But it is what it is."
The Patriots will now move forward into 2024 with a high draft pick at their disposal, but will Belichick be the one making that selection? His future is in question after the team kept redefining "rock bottom" throughout the season, with an offense that was its own worst enemy and a defense that had to be nearly perfect for the team to have any shot at winning.
An under-the-weather Belichick did not want to address his future following Sunday's loss. Because at the moment, in his eyes, there is nothing to address. That won't change until he meets with owner Robert Kraft, which will reportedly take place on Monday.
"As far as the future goes. I'll sit down with Robert, as I do at every year at some point at the end of the season, and we'll talk about things as we always do. I'm sure that will happen, but that's all I really have to say about that right now because there isn't anything else to talk about," Belichick said Sunday, shortly after he commended his players for all the fight that they showed Sunday and throughout the season.
The Boston Globe's Dan Shaughnessy tried to get Belichick to open up a bit, asking if the coach felt any differently walking off the field Sunday.
"Disappointed about the way the game turned out, sure. We'll leave it at that," said Belichick, who echoed that phrase when Shaughnessy asked Belichick if he'd be back next season.
Belichick has one more year left on his contract, and was asked by NBC Sports Boston's Phil Perry if his preference is to return to New England. Belichick again declined to answer -- twice.
"I just finished the game here with the Jets. I put everything I had into it, and am disappointed with the results," he said.
It was obviously a trying season for the 71-year-old Belichick, but he made it clear that he still has a love for what he does.
"I enjoy coaching. It was a disappointing season -- I covered that in the opening statement and I don't have anything to add, that's how I feel. I still like preparing the team, game-planning, and coaching on Sundays. But the results weren't good, and none of us are happy about those," he said.
All that matters now is how Kraft feels following his meeting with Belichick. If the future Hall of Famer lays out a plan to fix the team's offense and potentially shows an openness for more help in the front office, he may be back for 2024. But after missing out on the playoffs for the third time in the last four seasons, Kraft may decide it's time for a change.
Patriots players have no idea what the future holds for the franchise. But if this the end of the road, they are very happy that they had an opportunity to play for Belichick.
"The opportunity to play at this level and learn from him, I really can't describe what it has meant to me," said safety Kyle Dugger, whom Belichick drafted in the second round of the Lenoir-Rhyne University of Division II. "It has meant a lot."
"It has been amazing. Arguably one of the greatest coaches to ever do it and I learned so much from him. He pushed me in ways I've never been pushed before," said safety Jabrill Peppers. "I'm mad we couldn't get it done for him. It is what it is, and we've gotta own that."
