Bill Belichick Blasted for Latest Patriots Comments

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Bill Belichick's latest comments about his final years in charge of the New England Patriots have angered some.

Bill Belichick’s latest take on why his last few years in charge of the New England Patriots didn’t go well has not convinced everybody. Some are downright angry at the six-time Super Bowl-winning head coach’s lack of self awareness, while others are unequivocal that Tom Brady was the true driving force behind the Pats’ title-laden dynasty.

The dynasty officially ended when Belichick was dismissed following the 2023 season. Yet, things really started to unravel once Brady joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers three years earlier.

Belichick oversaw three losing seasons out of four and the rapid deterioration of the roster, particularly on offense. The 72-year-old blamed a lack of collaboration at the top, in a conversation that stemmed from the Patriots firing Belichick’s successor Jerod Mayo after just one season.

Speaking on the “Let’s Go Podcast,” on SiriusXM NFL Radio, Belichick explained to Jim Nantz and former Pittsburgh Steelers Super Bowl-winning head coach Bill Cowher, You need that shared vision between ownership and coaching and scouting. And that’s when you can be successful. And I know, Bill, you had that at Pittsburgh and I had that up until about the last four years in New England.”

Those comments conveniently took in the exact period of time the Patriots were no longer truly competitive on Belichick’s watch. He essentially absolved himself of any blame for the mess Mayo inherited, instead focusing criticism on owner Robert Kraft and those in his inner circle.

More than a few observers believe Belichick is more accountable for the decline of the franchise.

Bill Belichick Has His Share of Blame for Patriots Decline

The bold nature of Belichick’s explanation for his troubled last four years at the helm angered NESN.com’s Keagan Stiefel. He asked “Has Bill Belichick taken a shred of accountability for any of this mess? It’s embarrassing at this point.”

Belichick, who shockingly took the top job at collegiate program North Carolina after a year away from the NFL, is at least partly accountable for the draft classes and free agents signed while he was still in New England. He was famously possessive about control over personnel matters, so it’s hard to believe Belichick was undermined to the point of being totally powerless and ineffective.

Rather than spend four years as a glorified puppet coach, it’s more likely Belichick still called the shots. That sounds credible to Pat Lane of SB Nation’s Pats Pulpit, who would “find it incredibly hard to believe that the scouting department decided to let Joe Thuney and Ted Karras walk, trade Marcus Cannon and Shaq Mason for next to nothing, and draft Cole Strange in the first round, but what do I know.”

There were also questionable decisions regarding coaching. Like Belichick choosing former defensive coordinator Matt Patricia and special teams coach Joe Judge to call the offense in 2022.

Other decisions, such as signing edge-rushers Matthew Judon and nose tackle Davon Godchaux as part of a free-agency splurge in 2021 hinted Belichick retained control. Both players fit Belichick’s blueprint for big, physical playmakers along the front seven.

That blueprint helped yield success for two decades, but the magic deserted Belichick after 2020. The issue wasn’t control, but something simpler, according to one onlooker.

Tom Brady Exit Exposed Bill Belichick

A simple explanation for the decline of the Patriots is the exit of Brady. Belichick simply couldn’t win without arguably the greatest QB of all time.

Counting 2008, when Brady suffered a season-ending injury early in the opening game, Belichick achieved just two winning records and one playoff appearance without Brady in New England. A sole postseason appearance was all Belichick had to show for five years in charge of the Cleveland Browns from 1991-95.

The record shows Belichick never won big nor consistently without Brady. It’s as simple as that, according to Colin Cowherd of Fox Sports.

Cowherd isn’t buying the idea ownership deliberately undermined Belichick: “This isn’t about Robert Kraft not sharing and pulling in the same direction. Robert Kraft didn’t get dumb at 80 and decide ‘I’m gonna do business differently now.”

Brady was the bigger factor as Cowherd put it, “Quarterbacks are like filters on instagram. They make everything pretty. Take them away, a lot of people look average.”

Cowherd also focused on some of Belichick’s suspect drafting. He noted how in 20 years, “1 skill player made a Pro Bowl, Gronk.”

Bad drafting certainly left Mayo with a lot to rebuild, but Belichick’s own failure to draft wide receivers was worrying echoed by general manager Eliot Wolf last year. Second-round pick Ja’Lynn Polk and fourth-rounder Javon Baker both struggled to make the grade.

What’s more worrying is how Mayo played for Belichick and then served on this staff. The Patriots appear to be taking a similar approach to finding their next head coach, with Mike Vrabel, who won three Super Bowls as a player for Belichick, looking like the favorite.

Ultimately, no one person can be blamed for the collapse of a dynasty, but Belichick was one of the chief culprits. He couldn’t adapt without Brady, so maybe the Patriots should make a completely clean break from Belichick and those who practice his methods.