The New England Patriots suffered yet another disappointing loss on Sunday, and head coach Bill Belichick is now finding it impossible to avoid questions about his job security.
During a conference call with reporters on Monday, Belichick was asked if Robert Kraft has given him any assurances that his job is safe through the remainder of the 2023 season. He avoided the question, which is not unusual for the 71-year-old.
“My focus is on getting ready for the Colts,” Belichick said, via Chris Mason of MassLive.com.
A reporter then followed up by asking Belichick if he feels he will be coaching for his job when the Patriots take on the Indianapolis Colts in Germany next Sunday. The response was similar.
“I’m going to control what I can control and I’m going to get ready for the Colts,” Belichick said.
During his weekly appearance on WEEI’s “The Greg Hill Show” earlier in the day, Belichick was asked how frustrated Kraft has been with the results this season.
“I would think you’d have to ask him about that. I don’t want to speak for him,” he said. “But yeah, I mean, everybody’s frustrated with it.”
Belichick also admitted that this season has been “up there” with one of the most frustrating of his 48-year coaching career.
It goes without saying that the Patriots are not going to make the playoffs. That probably does not bother Kraft nearly as much as the fact that his team is now one of the worst in the NFL three years after Tom Brady departed in free agency. Mac Jones does not appear to be the answer in New England, which likely means a rebuild is the only viable solution.
The big question is whether Kraft thinks Belichick is still the right person to lead the team. The Patriots made another inexplicable blunder in Sunday’s 23-20 loss to the Washington Commanders. Those are the types of things that the Patriots used to laugh at teams like the New York Jets for doing.
New England is now 2-7 and in contention for the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. Barring a miraculous turnaround, they may be headed for a total regime change.
