Robert Kraft, Patriots reportedly haven’t made a decision about Bill Belichick’s future
The news comes days after NBC Sports Boston’s Tom E. Curran reported owner Robert Kraft has already made the decision to part ways with Belichick.
Despite a rumor swirling earlier this week that the Patriots have already chosen to part ways with him, one NFL insider says New England hasn’t decided what Bill Belichick’s future with the organization looks like.
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NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported on Saturday night that owner Robert Kraft’s decision on whether to keep his head coach has yet to be made. He said a determination may not come for at least another month.
“While the expectation is that a decision on his future will play out over the next month,” Rapoport said, “sources also say it could take longer than that.”
How the Patriots perform in their final four games of the season could play a deciding factor in Kraft’s choice, Rapoport said.
“If they beat the Chiefs on Sunday and run off a string of wins, that could lead to the kind of hope and good feeling that can change minds and make an owner who believed his team should be a playoff team feel like it’s headed in the right direction.
“If New England suffers a performance like the Chargers did against the Raiders before head coach Brandon Staley and general manager Tom Telesco were fired on Friday, that could solidify minds as well, but in the other direction.”
Rapoport repeated that he believes the Patriots will wait until the conclusion of the regular season to discuss Belichick’s fate in Foxborough.
This comes days after NBC Sports Boston’s Tom E. Curran reported owner Robert Kraft has already made the decision to part ways with Belichick.
Curran reported on Monday that Kraft concluded he would move on from Belichick following New England’s loss to the Indianapolis Colts on Nov. 12.
“When they came out of Germany, conversations I had that week made it very clear that a decision was made,” Curran said on NBC Sports Boston’s Arbella Early Edition. “They were going to play out the string, and at the end of the year, there would be a parting of the ways for a variety of reasons.”
Belichick has unsurprisingly opted not to respond to questions about his future as the Patriots’ head coach this season.
“Yeah, getting ready for Kansas City,” he said on Wednesday. “That’s what I’m doing.”
If New England indeed needs to secure a couple of victories to keep Belichick around, they will need to improbably come out on top against AFC teams all in the playoff hunt.
To start, the Patriots host the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday. The 8-5 Chiefs are eight-point favorites as of Saturday and are coming off a frustrating loss to the Buffalo Bills.
Then, New England travels to Denver to play the Broncos on Christmas Eve. Denver, who is second in the AFC West, is 7-6 this year, and on the bubble for a playoff spot. The Broncos have won six of their last seven contests after starting the season at 1-5.
The following week, the Patriots will head to Buffalo to play the Bills on New Year’s Eve. Buffalo is similarly on the outside looking in at second in the AFC East with a 7-6 record.
New England did secure one of its three wins this season over the Bills in Week 7. Then-quarterback Mac Jones led his team to a comeback victory over their divisional foe, before he lost the starting job.
Finally, the Patriots will host the New York Jets, who have a very slim shot at making the playoffs prior to Week 15, in their regular season finale on Jan. 7.
Regardless of how New England finishes out its 2023 season, expect the front office to wait to deliberate on Belichick’s fate in the new year.
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