Belichick Firing Plotted by Kraft? Inside Patriots PFT ‘Pissing Match’ Hints
The most incendiary part of a new report insists that "tension is growing'' between New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick and team owner Robert Kraft, and that an ongoing "old-fashioned pissing match'' is going to almost inevitably lead to the coach getting fired.
What's fueling the report? Some truth. But also some conspiracy theorizing. And some Captain Obvious pearl-clutching.
NBC Sports' Mike Florio asserts at ProFootballTalk.com that Belichick's job security could hinge on the team's success this season.
"At some point, a sufficient stretch of failure wipes out a history of excellence," Florio said, noting both that the owner and Coach have teamed for six Super Bowls wins and that New England has yet to win a playoff game since Tom Brady's departure in 2020.
All true. Unless Belichick literally coaches in Foxboro until the minute he dies, he will leave the Patriots. … maybe by Kraft choosing to dismiss him.
As Florio writes, “At some point, the past will have faded from the rear-view mirror. At some point, Kraft will decide to turn the page."
Yes. Maybe. Kraft could tire of his coach. Or - in a concept that gets skipped over here, maybe Belichick grows tired of the owner.
Has there been public sniping between the powerful pair this offseason? PatriotsCountry.com at SI has covered all of that, from their debates about spending to the goal of postseason success.
Kraft was recently asked about Belichick’s job security. He sort of skirted the question but did say, “It’s very important to me that we make the playoffs …”
Does that goal put “the relationship between owner Robert Kraft and coach Bill Belichick … at a crossroads,” as Florio contends?
Florio, for all his fine and fun work, is well-established as a football conspiracy theorist. (In the breath right before this Patriots piece, he insisted that NFL owners are “privately” conspiring to mislead the public about the slippery field at the Super Bowl.)
Do we believe that a divorce here could occur, ending a 25-year Patriots marriage? Of course. Someday. But can we report as fact that Kraft and Belichick are purposely and publicly poking each other about mistakes so when this thing ends, history will remember “the other guy” as the blame-worthy screw-up?
We cannot report that because don’t know that. Does PFT know it?
Some playoff perspective before we provide Florio the final word: How much have the Patriots spoiled the sports world with their postseason success? So much so that all of this turmoil (the real and the imagined) is because in the last four years, New England has “only” made the playoffs twice.
News flash: In this NFL - as much as Kraft and Belichick and all Patriots fans hate it - that’s normal.
From Florio: “If Belichick fails to deliver a playoff appearance or if he runs the postseason victory drought to half of a decade, he’s the one who could be (fired).”
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