Bill Belichick's illustrious New England Patriots tenure has come to an end.
Our Tom E. Curran reported Tuesday that the Patriots' decision to part ways with Belichick, initially made following the team's Week 10 loss to the Indianapolis Colts, remained on track. On Thursday, the Patriots confirmed that they and Belichick have mutually agreed to part ways.
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ESPN's Adam Schefter and Mike Reiss characterized Belichick's exit as a "mutual decision."
"From sources familiar with those conversations, there was said to be no conflict, no disagreement, and in the end, productive talks resulted in a mutual decision that left both sides comfortable and at ease," Schefter and Reiss reported Thursday morning.
The decision comes despite Belichick being under contract with the team through the 2024 campaign and ends his illustrious 24-year tenure in New England.
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Despite Belichick's incredible success in Foxboro, rumors have swirled about his eventual departure throughout the Patriots' disappointing 2023 season. Belichick and the Patriots have missed the playoffs in three of their last four seasons. Their 4-13 record in 2023 was their worst since Belichick replaced Pete Carroll as head coach in 2000, and Thursday's decision came as little surprise to those in the organization, per our Phil Perry.
Although the recent results haven't been pretty, Belichick cemented his legacy by leading the Patriots to six Super Bowl titles in nine appearances. He finishes his career in New England with a remarkable 266-121 regular-season record and a 30-12 mark in the postseason.
With 333 total wins as a head coach, Belichick needs only 14 more to tie Don Shula's record. He'll presumably have no shortage of opportunities to reach that milestone as several teams are set to enter the offseason with head-coaching vacancies. Among the potential landing spots for Belichick are the Washington Commanders, Las Vegas Raiders, Los Angeles Chargers, Carolina Panthers and Atlanta Falcons.