It happened a little over a week ago, but it’s the end of an era with the New England Patriots franchise. After nearly a quarter century, Bill Belichick is stepping down as head coach and de facto general manager. It led to an unprecedented era of dominance, a dynasty the Patriots might never replicate. They did have much help from the greatest quarterback of all time, Tom Brady, who dominated the AFC East for virtually his entire tenure as a starter (via ESPN):
Bill Belichick will no longer serve as New England Patriots coach after a remarkable 24 seasons, saying Thursday that "we're going to move on" while also looking back fondly at his unmatched run in NFL history that included six Super Bowl titles.
Belichick and Patriots owner Robert Kraft spent a good part of this week periodically meeting and discussing how each side wanted to proceed. From sources familiar with those conversations, there was said to be no conflict, no disagreement, and in the end, productive talks resulted in a mutual decision that left both sides comfortable and at ease.
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"This is a move that we mutually agreed that is needed at this time," Kraft said. "What Bill accomplished, in my opinion, will never be duplicated."
Belichick, who said he will "always be a Patriot," thanked Kraft and his family for the opportunity and support, saying: "We had a vision of building a championship football team that has exceeded my wildest dreams and expectations. I'm very proud of that. I'll always have those great memories, will carry those with me the rest of my life."
It's old news, and Belichick’s new job search has already taken over this part of the story. Yet, his departure had its moments. The stern and stoic coach kicked off his last presser with a joke, noting that there hadn’t been that many cameras in a single room since they signed Tim Tebow. At the time, New York media had fun with the announcement of Bill’s departure; not even New England’s new head coach was safe:
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“who lost two Super Bowls to the Giants” 😂😂 damn NBC! https://t.co/Uhl9kjqOFb
— Madelyn Burke (@MadelynBurke) January 11, 2024
#BREAKING: Bill Belichick, who lost two Super Bowls to the Giants, expected to part ways with Patriots later today, reports say, as 24-year tenure ends with regular season loss to Jets https://t.co/dgNyNYBEWu
— NBC New York (@NBCNewYork) January 11, 2024
Bye Bill, thanks for the memories! pic.twitter.com/UtZMlFTVTQ
— Barstool New York (@BarstoolNYC) January 11, 2024
#BREAKING: Source confirms Patriots hire Jerod Mayo, who has also lost a Super Bowl to the Giants, as next head coach https://t.co/zbNl4Uqhra
— NBC New York (@NBCNewYork) January 12, 2024
The NBC New York Twitter account will never let the New England Patriots know peace. pic.twitter.com/eYkFQCfMhu
— Mike Beauvais (@MikeBeauvais) January 11, 2024
Yet, there is one thing that’s glossed over with the social media posts: Belichick was an excellent defensive coordinator for the New York Giants, winning two Super Bowls with the team, who later beat him in Super Bowls 42 and 46, with the former arguably being one of the greatest upsets in sports history. Belichick’s plan for stopping the Buffalo Bills’ lethal offense in Super Bowl 25 is displayed at the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The man still has fond memories of being a former Giants coach.
We can't say happy retirement to Bill, but Giants fans can thank him for helping the franchise win two Super Bowls over the Broncos and Bills. Sorry, I'm not sorry about how Super Bowls 42 and 46 ended, though.
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