By: Justin Gincauskas

After 24 seasons and six Super Bowls, Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots are deciding to part ways, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter and Mike Reiss. The move puts an end to the most successful run in New England and NFL history.

Belichick will leave the Patriots 15 wins shy of breaking the NFL head coaching wins record of 347 held by Don Shula. Although his time in New England is up, Schefter and Reiss reported that Belichick does want to continue coaching and will receive some interest from the seven NFL teams looking for a new head coach. One team specifically mentioned was the Atlanta Falcons.

Belichick had one year remaining on his contract, but New England will let him leave without seeking any compensation.

The news of the Patriots and Belichick deciding to part ways comes less than 24 hours after Alabama head coach Nick Saban, a friend of Belichick’s, decided to retire. Saban and Belichick are two of the greatest football coaches of all time. 

The New England Patriots announced on social media that Belichick and Patriots owner Robert Kraft will address the media on Thursday at noon ET.

Bill Belichick’s Legacy In New England

Belichick will end his time with the Patriots on a sour note, as the team finished the 2023 season 4-13, the worst under Belichick. However, the rough ending will not overshadow Belichick’s incredible accomplishments with New England. Belichick won 266 regular season games with the team and had a record of 30-12 in the postseason. He holds the NFL head coaching records for most Super Bowl victories and playoff wins.

The Patriots dominated the AFC East for most of Belichick’s tenure. New England won the division 17 times with Belichick and won 10 or more games every season from 2003 to 2019. He finishes his Patriots coaching career with a record of 296-133, including the postseason. Adding his coaching stint with the Cleveland Browns, Belichick has collected 333 wins in his NFL career, the second most all-time.

The New England Patriots will now look for a new head coach for the first time since 2000. According to Schefter, Jerod Mayo projects to be a leading candidate for the role.

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