Dallas Cowboys' Jerry Jones on Demise of Bill Belichick, New England Patriots: 'Surreal'
The coach with the NFL's all-time coldest persona suddenly owns the league's hottest seat.
Bill Belichick ... fired? Likely not, but if this isn't rock bottom then spoiled New England Patriots may not stick around to see the darker depths.
There are several words to describe Sunday's 38-3 blowout loss to the Dallas Cowboys in Arlington in which former Pro Bowl quarterback Mac Jones was benched after committing four costly mistakes and Belichick's precious special teams were outcoached and pantsed by a nifty fake extra point.
Embarrassing. Humiliating. Devastating. Unprecedented And, in the words of Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, surreal.
“Surreal is what it is, when you look at how well the Patriots have competed all these years ... you have all the respect in the world for them,” Jones said. “Couldn't have pictured being able to have the score like this, but ... it's kind of inspiring because again knowing what a great coach, what a great organization they've got. We'll build on that.''
Could Patriots owner Robert Kraft actually fire Bill Belichick?
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While the Cowboys build, is it time for Patriots owner Robert Kraft to consider a rebuild? A reconstruction project that doesn't include the 71-year-old coach who was just delivered the worst thrashing of his legendary 29-year career?
For what it's worth, it was the Cowboys who sent Tom Brady into retirement - for good this time - with a playoff win over the Buccaneers in Tampa last January.
Belichick, of course, has been in peril before. In 2014 the Pats were thrashed, 41-14, by the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday Night Football. They fell to 2-2, and were littered with questions about the crumbling of their dynasty. The coach's comedic, legendary press conference was a string of "We're on to Cincinnati." New England proceeded to go 13-2 after the drubbing and win Super Bowl XLIX.
But that team had Tom Brady. "We're on to New Orleans" - the Pats opponent next Sunday - isn't quite as cute when you're 26-29 and without a playoff win since Brady departed and are left with pressing questions about Jones as your franchise quarterback.
During his Monday radio show and time with the media, Belichick was his usual, calm and collected self. Supportive of Jones. Confident about the rest of the season. And his 24-year run in New England commands respect. He's second all-time in NFL wins and has a long-standing reservation in Canton.
He might be the greatest coach in the history of pro football. But is the best coach for the Patriots in 2023?
Kraft publicly expressed his displeasure after last season, demanded changes and entered this year with playoff expectations. But now the Patriots are 1-3 for the third consecutive season. Once king of the NFL, these days the only team Belichick can beat is Zach Wilson and the New York Jets.
We're about to find out just how much patience six Super Bowls wins will afford a coach.
The Patriots went to Texas in search of a signature win. They just may have come back to Foxboro with a legacy loss.
