Schefter: Bill Belichick's contract extension won't impact his future with Patriots

BOSTON -- A major Patriots story dropped on Sunday morning, with NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reporting that Bill Belichick signed a "lucrative, multi-year" contract extension with New England during the offseason.

That news was significant, as the Patriots' 1-5 start -- prior to Sunday's upset victory over Buffalo -- had many in the region believing this was the end for the 71-year-old head coach and de facto GM.

On Monday though, Adam Schefter -- Rapoport's chief rival in the world of NFL insiders -- said that Belichick's extension won't play a factor in whether or not Belichick remains with New England after this season.

"I don't believe a deal now has any bearing on his future going forward. I really don't. I think he and Robert Kraft will sit down at the end of the year and they'll make a decision mutually about what they each want to do -- whether he has an extension or not," Schefter said on The Pat McAfee Show. "And they can figure out the best way to handle the situation, what they believe each side is better off doing -- whether that's staying together, whether that's going their own ways. And I don't care whether Bill Belichick has a year left, three years left, five years left -- it doesn't matter. To me, they're going to assess that situation on a year-to-year basis and figure out what's best for the both of them."

Belichick recorded his 300th regular-season win on Sunday, and he's now 17 behind Don Shula for the most victories by a head coach in NFL history (regular season and postseason combined). Kraft said last March that he hopes to see Belichick set the all-time record with the Patriots, while adding that he is "not looking for any of our players to get great stats."

That comment, combined with Schefter's read on the situation, would suggest that the pressure remains on for Belichick to turn around this 2-5 season in New England.