Belichick Reacts to Kraft's Silence On Patriots' Future
As hard as it still is to believe, there is a very real chance that Bill Belichick is coaching his final few games for the New England Patriots.
Belichick has guided the Patriots to an unprecedented level of success, winning six Super Bowls in two decades. However, the NFL is a league with heavy recency bias, and in that respect, Belichick's resume doesn't look so hot. With just one brief playoff appearance in the last four years and New England in the midst of its worst season in decades, many have been clamoring for a change, and team owner Robert Kraft hasn't exactly been committal on keeping his coach.
Kraft's stance has been in stark contrast to another team going through a rough season, the division-rival New York Jets. While the Jets will miss the playoffs for 14th consecutive season, owner Woody Johnson has stated that coach Robert Saleh and general manager Joe Douglas will return in 2024.
Robert Kraft, Bill Belichick
Credit: USA Today Sports Images
It was inevitable that some would make comparisons between the two rival franchises' situations. When asked about said comparison, Belichick brushed the question aside in classic Belichick fashion.
“I don’t really know anything about the Jets situation,” Belichick said on WEEI's The Greg Hill Show. “I don’t know anything about that. (Going) to get ready for Buffalo here. Go back over the Denver game, make some corrections on that and talk about things we could have done better, things we need to build on, and then move on to Buffalo. That’s what I’m doing.”
Even after a follow-up question about Kraft's lack of a public endorsement, Belichick declined to comment and instead focused on what he can control.
“Yeah, my job is to get the team ready to play every week that’s what I do,” Belichick said. “That’s what I’m going to keep doing. That’s what I’ve always done.”
In an ironic twist, the Patriots host the Jets in Week 18 in what could be the final game of Belichick's legendary run in New England.
