Report sheds light on how Robert Kraft views Bill Belichick’s future

Jan 20, 2019; Kansas City, MO, USA; New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft watches from the sidelines before the AFC Championship game against the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

It has long been assumed that Bill Belichick will be able to leave the New England Patriots on his own terms, but the man in charge of making that decision may have a different plan in the works.

In a column published on Wednesday, Jeff Howe of The Athletic shared a glimpse into how Patriots owner Robert Kraft feels about the way his team has struggled since Tom Brady departed in 2020. According to Howe, Kraft does not subscribe to the belief that Belichick has earned the right to go out on his own accord regardless of the circumstances.

Sources close to the situation told Howe that Kraft has “grown frustrated, if not downright angry” over the lack of success the Patriots have had since Brady signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. New England has reached the postseason just once in the last three years, and they were demolished by the Buffalo Bills in that game.

Belichick enters Week 6 with 330 career victories. That leaves him 18 wins shy of surpassing Don Shula as the winningest coach in NFL history. One school of thought is that Kraft wanted to let Belichick break the record before moving on. It initially looked like Belichick would hit the mark in 2024. The 71-year-old is no longer on pace for that, barring an unforeseen turnaround.

Now, Kraft has to decide how much patience to have with his longtime coach and general manager. According to Howe, sources have said Patriots players on defense have grown increasingly frustrated with the offense, which is averaging a paltry 10.6 points through five games. Some believe Belichick could be losing the locker room after New England was outscored 72-3 by their last two opponents.

If Belichick’s message is no longer resonating with players, Kraft’s decision would probably become a lot easier. At the very least, the seat under Belichick appears to be warmer than at any other point during his 23 years in New England.