Ex-Patriots star shares whether he thinks Bill Belichick will retire

Nov 18, 2021; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick walks on the field before a game against the Atlanta Falcons at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

The questions surrounding Bill Belichick’s future with the New England Patriots have become more legitimate by the week, and one former team captain believes all options are on the table for the legendary coach.

Longtime ESPN analyst and former Patriots linebacker Tedy Bruschi was asked on “Get Up” Monday morning if he thinks this could be Belichick’s final season in New England. Bruschi said he thinks both Belichick and Patriots owner Robert Kraft have considered it.

.@TedyBruschi on if Bill Belichick's run in New England is ending:

"I think Bill Belichick is considering it. … I have always known Bill to only coach for meaningful wins … division championships, playoff wins, Super Bowls. … The meaningful wins are now all for him." pic.twitter.com/QUcvYzuwBL

— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) October 16, 2023

“I think Bill Belichick is considering it and I also think Robert Kraft is the one that has to start to consider if it’s time to move on,” Bruschi said. “Right now, if they get a top-five pick, Mr. Kraft has to decide if Bill is the right one to take one of those three, four quarterbacks or whatever you may get and if he wants to start over with Bill.”

Bruschi also said it feels like it has gotten to the point where chasing Don Shula’s all-time NFL record of 347 wins is the only “meaningful” thing Belichick is working toward. The 71-year-old coach has been stuck at 330 wins for nearly a month now.

“I have always known Bill to only coach for meaningful wins — meaningful in terms of division championships, playoff wins, Super Bowls,” Bruschi added. “It’s shifted now. The meaningful wins are now all for him. It’s for the Shula mark. … That’s never what I knew Bill to coach for. Is it all about Shula? Because if it is, we’ve really got to look in the mirror and say where are we going in the future? That’s a tough decision for Mr. Kraft.”

A recent report shed some light on how Kraft feels about the current state of the Patriots. The team looks to be in need of a total rebuild, and it is hard to imagine Belichick sticking around for that. If his top priority is catching Shula, that may not happen for another three seasons at this rate.

Many thought the return of offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien would be huge for Mac Jones’ development. Instead, New England’s offense has looked worse this season. Belichick has also failed as a general manager and put together a bad roster. All of that should factor into both his and Kraft’s decision on whether their long and successful partnership should continue beyond 2023.