Bill Belichick and His future with the Patriots 

The Denver Broncos lost to the Miami Dolphins 70-20 during their week three game. The Chicago Bears and New York Giants are the laughing stock of the NFL due to their consistently horrible performances. 

These teams, however, don't take any of the heat off of the New England Patriots. 

Their dynasty came to an end a half-decade ago, but NFL fans still held out hope for the six-time Super Bowl champions. And with the legendary Bill Belichick remaining as head coach, the Pats would have surely still been Super Bowl-bound without Tom Brady under center, right?

Well, since Brady’s departure, the Patriots have only won 26 out of 56 games, including a first-round exit in the playoffs. Brady, on the other hand, went on to win his 7th Super Bowl ring with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. 

From week three to week four of the 2023-24 NFL season, the Patriots have been outscored 72-3, an embarrassing stat that fans would’ve never seen coming, even from the shell of what the team used to be. It begs the question: Was Belichick’s esteemed career piggybacked off of Tom Brady’s success?

As arguably one of the best coaches in NFL history, it's hard to completely blame the coaching when explaining the team's losses. Quarterback Mac Jones had a successful rookie campaign after being drafted in 2021, only to follow with performances that  rendered him one of the worst quarterbacks in the league. The consistent losses and questionable draft decisions, however, have made it hard for the head coach and general manger NOT to be under the gun. 

Sports analyst Stephen A. Smith  began one of his shows saying, “First Take: I would never sit up there and say that Bill Belichick is just another coach,” following with: “If I’m Robert Kraft, here's what I’d tell him: ‘You are no longer GM, the football decision maker, for this franchise.” 

Even though it was reported that Belichick signed a contract extension over the summer, some experts believe Patriots owner Robert Kraft would open to the possibility of moving on, with NFL insider Jeff Howe stating that Kraft “does not subscribe to the idea” that Belichick has earned the right to leave on his own accord. 

All of that said, Belichick's accolades have not and will not be forgotten. As a seven-time Super Bowl champion and the architect of one of the most dominant dynasties in NFL history, the poor performances in recent seasons will unlikely tarnish his stellar legacy.