Bill Belichick walked into the 2023 season just 19 victories short of surpassing Don Shula as the coach with the most wins in NFL history. After back-to-back winning seasons, he could finally ride off in glory after the 2024 campaign. Of course, with the NFL record in hand. However, after the embarrassing 34-0 loss to the New Orleans Saints on their home turf, that scenario looks like a pipe dream as another rising coach is turning heads.

The Patriots have started 1-4 for the first time since 2000, before Brady’s arrival. While the career of arguably the best coach in NFL history is eclipsing, the career of another is dawning. A goofy, thin, and nerd-looking coach from Denver, Colorado is looking to etch his name on the NFL’s coaching history. 

The fall of football’s greatest coach

Belichick has come a long way from being a Cleveland ex-coach looking for work after a lackluster 36-44 record with the Browns. Then Brady happened, and the two went on to become one of the most successful QB-head coach duos in NFL’s history, bringing in six Vince Lombardi trophies for the Patriots. And then Brady left. The last two games with a cumulative score of 72-3, have cemented their place as two of the worst defeats of Belichick’s extensive career. However, Belichick’s troubles don’t just end with play calling.

He seems to have lost his touch in the draft, too. It was a hallmark of the Belichick Way, and by extension, the Patriots Way, that he would unearth rough diamonds outside the first round. The likes of Sebastian Vollmer (58th pick in 2009), Rob Gronkowski (42nd in 2010), Marcus Cannon (138th in 2011), and Logan Ryan (83rd in 2013) all went on to contribute to multiple Super Bowl successes. In recent drafts, Belichick has struggled to add value. The Patriots spent a first-round pick on Harry in 2019 instead of Deebo Samuel, A.J. Brown, DK Metcalf, or Terry McLaurin. And then there were the missed opportunities on the trade market: Stefon Diggs, Tyreek Hill, Davante Adams, Brown, Amari Cooper, and plenty of others.

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“If they finish last in that division, don’t turn things around and don’t make it to the playoffs, there’s going to be a mutual parting, I believe, between the Patriots and Bill Belichick when the season is over,” Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio speculated earlier in the week. It seemed unthinkable that Bill Belichick could ever enter a season with his job on the line. And now it does not seem like a too-distant prospect. But while one coach’s career is in jeopardy, another’s is on the rise.

Mike McDaniel is a rising star but from a different galaxy!

On the same day that the Patriots team was booed, another coach became the talk of the town. Mike Mc Daniel didn’t come from a playing background or even a coaching one. If anything he has a degree in history from Yale! Not exactly the football resume you’d expect. But already, people have dubbed him as one of the most creative play-callers in the league’s history.

Famously starting as a ball boy for the Denver Broncos in 2005, Mc Daniel quickly, and quietly, rose through the NFL ranks. Becoming offensive assistant with the Texans and Commanders. He then became the wide receiver coach with the Browns, before leaving to become an offensive assistant with the Falcons. And finally landed with the 49ers. He was in the process of interviewing for the head coach role with the Vikings when he got picked by the Dolphins. And the rest, as they say, is history.

“He Misses Brady”: New England Patriots HC Bill Belichick Faces Flak for On-Field Meltdown Against Miami Dolphins

From the Broncos’ ball boy, Mc Daniel went on to hand them their biggest defeat in franchise history. Since the 70-20 game in Week 3 of the 2023 season, he has come a long way. Mike McDaniel has quickly shown he’s one of the brightest young minds in the NFL. He carries himself completely differently than anyone else. In the September 18 face-off between the old guard and the new guard, McDaniel’s team beat the Patriots 24-17. Recently, USA Today Sports NFL insider Mike Jones said, “Let’s not forget. They had a really good defense before. They just needed an offense and a coach who was built… invested into it. And maybe we’ll see this, but this has a lot to do with Bill Belichick and the arrogance that we’ve seen from him.”

The Belichick question has started to gain more steam. Could the Patriots really fire a legend who brought them six Super Bowl wins? If the rest of the season goes like the past two games, we might find out the answer soon enough.

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

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