Why did 2019 mark the beginning of things boiling over with Belichick, even though the Patriots went 12-4 and won the AFC East? According to Curran, the falling out stemmed from negotiations with then-quarterback Tom Brady, who believed he’d receive a two-year, $50M extension the following offseason and how they were handled.
Curran revealed that Belichick knew the terms of the deal Brady was seeking and was aware that the now-45-year-old would leave in free agency if he didn’t receive that contract. However, New England only offered its longtime signal-caller a two-year deal with a team option.
While Belichick convinced Kraft it was the right decision to let Brady walk, the results proved otherwise. The Patriots are 25-25 since Brady went to Tampa Bay, including two sub-.500 seasons and one trip to the playoffs, where they were outclassed by division rival Buffalo, losing 47-17.
Although Belichick made strides to upgrade his staff and roster this offseason, Curran noted that if the Patriots repeat last season’s poor performance, a coaching change might be in order. The insider mentioned Patriots inside linebackers coach Jerod Mayo as Belichick’s potential replacement, as he has long been linked to being the 71-year-old’s successor.
“If they look disorganized, dysfunctional and discipline’s out the window,” Curran said. ‘Then they might say, ‘That was a great run, but can you go upstairs and just watch Jerod coach next year?'”
Unfortunately for the Patriots, this season might be just as challenging as any of the post-Brady years, with the team boasting the third-most difficult schedule, per NFL Research.
Even so, Curran believes that Kraft appears to be changing his position regarding his March comments about expecting the team to be a contender in 2023. But regardless, there will still have to be some positive results to build upon for 2024 if the Patriots fail to reach the postseason.
It would surely be an uncomfortable situation to cut ties with arguably the greatest coach of all time, but Curran speculates that there’s one possible way to avoid controversy. As Belichick stands 19 wins from surpassing Don Shula for the most victories in league history, Curran suggests obtaining the record would make it easier for sides to move on.
Considering how improbable it would be for Belichick to accomplish the feat in 2023, the Patriots might have to wait out hiring their next coach for a while. Nevertheless, after failing to sign DeAndre Hopkins, it wouldn’t be shocking to see the rift between the legendary coach and team brass intensify, particularly if the offense continues to struggle.
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