As they say, nothing in the NFL lasts forever, Bill Belichick’s career as a coach has been legendary but again, his run with the Patriots marked the worst margin of defeat, especially during the 38-3 defeat to the Dallas Cowboys in Week 4. At the same time, it’s hard to ignore that while some would attribute most of the New England Patriots’ success to Tom Brady, Belichick also has two other Super Bowl wins – one each with the Denver Broncos and the New York Giants. He helped the teams win while serving as defensive coordinator. But are his glory days a long time gone and is it really a dead end for Belichick?

After a 4-year SB drought and a terrible 1-5 start to the 2023 season, it looks like the 71-year-old is running out of gas. He just needs 17 more wins to overtake Don Shula as the head coach with the most number of wins in NFL history. But Belichick does not need to overtake Shula to claim the title of “greatest coach in football history”. Any football fan worth his salt knows that he is already the GOAT. As the Patriots limp forward in this with a set of defeats, many are questioning if the Belichick era is truly over. Some may just want him to hang up his cleats, or rather his headphones, and ride off into the sunset with a happy ending.

Has Bill Belichick fallen from grace?

No coach can match Belichick’s resume. 8 Super Bowl wins, 9 Super Bowl appearances with the Pats, and 13 AFC Championship game appearances in 10 years, including 8 in a row. But their recent 34-0 defeat at the hands of the New Orleans Saints, coupled with their 38-3 defeat to the Dallas Cowboys, does not paint a rosy picture. His team has scored an average of 12 points per game while allowing opponents to score more than double, at 25.3 points per game. And with upcoming battles against the Buffalo Bills and the Miami Dolphins, arguably the two of the strongest teams in the league, the Patriots certainly have a tough road ahead.

It is safe to say that it wasn’t the same for the team, following Brady’s departure. Belichick was 216-64 with Brady and 80-93 without him. Belichick who could be considered a perfectionist, has been unable to bear fruit out of his handpicked players. The likes of which include Mike Gesicki, JuJu Smith-Schuster, and Ezekiel Elliot. Meanwhile, the two ‘shining lights’ of the team – edge-rusher Matt Judon and CB Christian Gonzales, are out because of long-term injuries.

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QB Mac Jones, another of Belichick’s picks, has been benched in back-to-back games. He has thrown 7 interceptions this season including two pick-sixes. In the last three games, he has zero touchdowns and has a pass completion rate of 64.2%.

What does the future of the Patriots look like without Belichick?

There have been talks in the football world that Patriots owner Robert Kraft is looking for an overhaul of the team’s leadership. And it seems like he already has most of the pieces in place. Jared Mayo, the defensive play-caller for the Patriots, is certainly no stranger to the “Patriots Way”. He could be a potential successor to Belichick. Kraft said of Mayo – “definitely a strong candidate to be the heir apparent”, as reported by CBS Sports.

Another option would be if the Tennessee Titans choose to release head coach Mike Vrabel, who played under Belichick from 2001-2008. Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores, another of Bill’s disciples, could be another option. If New England is looking for an insider, the director of player personnel, Matt Groh, could become the GM. That way a major cause of the Patriots’ downfall – ‘roster mismanagement’, could have a fresh perspective. The Mayo-Groh combination as head coach and GM could be the panacea to the Patriots’ woes.

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If Belichick does not opt to leave the team of his own accord, could he be forced to unceremoniously exit? Well, Football can be ruthless in this regard. The sport is known for showing the door to those who failed to deliver despite their stature and past record. The firing of Tom Landry of the Cowboys is a great example. He was the HC for 29 seasons, had a 297-185 record and 2 SB wins. Former Broncos HC, Mike Shanahan headed the team for 14 seasons and registered 138-86, including two consecutive SB wins. He was fired after the 2008 season. The question here is – Will someone make Belichick read the writings on the wall? Tell us what your thoughts are in the comments below.

Editorial Disclaimer: The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of EssentiallySports. 

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