Bill Belichick out as New England Patriots head coach

For the first time in 24 years, the New England Patriots will be looking for a new head coach.

The New England Patriots and head coach Bill Belichick have “mutually agreed he won’t return as head coach in 2024,” according to a report from NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. The change comes after Belichick served as the team’s head coach and the de facto general manager for the past 24 seasons, during which time the team won six Super Bowl championships and made three additional appearances in the game. For the first time since 2000, the Patriots will now be looking for a new coach.

According to Pelissero on NFL Network’s Good Morning Football, following a Monday press conference in which Belichick explained he was still under contract and seemed to imply he was prepared to “fix” things that went wrong for the Patriots this season, Belichick and Patriots owner Robert Kraft had multiple meetings. Belichick explained his vision of what needed to change in New England, while Kraft had his own ideas and the two sides could not come to an agreement. The decision to move on was made and, as Pelissero stated, a press conference and formal announcement could come as early as Thursday morning.

Belichick won 266 regular season games with the Patriots, along with 30 playoff games. Belichick has a 302-165 regular season record and a 31-13 playoff record for his career, including the five years he spent as the Cleveland Browns head coach. He is third all-time with his 302 regular season wins, trailing George Halas (318) and the all-time leader Don Shula (328). Belichick is second in combined regular season and playoff wins with 333, trailing Shula’s 347.

New England finished the 2023 season with a 4-13 record. Quarterback Mac Jones, the team’s 2021 first-round pick, found himself benched during the season and did not appear to be the franchise quarterback the team had hoped he would become.

The Patriots will now begin a head coaching search, possibly targeting former Belichick assistants and players like Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores and former Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel.

Belichick is expected to be a top candidate for a vacant head coaching position this year and is believed to want to continue his career, with the all-time coaching wins record as a motivator.

For more on the departure of Belichick and all things Patriots, check out Pats Pulpit.