Ex-NFL Coach Advises Patriots Against ‘Unconscionable’ Move
If the Patriots are going to move on from Bill Belichick, Jason Garrett believes New England should wait until after the season ends to make the move.
Following the Patriots’ two-touchdown loss in Miami, there was a report claiming Robert Kraft potentially could relieve Belichick of his duties if New England fell in Weeks 9 and 10. Well, the Patriots dropped a home loss to a rebuilding Washington Commanders team and then lost to the Indianapolis Colts in Frankfurt, Germany, where Kraft really wanted to pick up a win.
New England brass now has added time to think about a possible coaching change, as the team is on bye in Week 11. But Garrett believes a midseason Belichick firing shouldn’t even be considered.
“This idea that they’re going to make a move with Bill Belichick during the season, to me, is just unconscionable,” Garrett said Sunday night on NBC. “I don’t care what the record is, I don’t care what decision was made. It’s unconscionable. Over the last 22 years, this has been the model franchise in all of sports. There’s some credibility there. He should be able to weather a few storms.”
Prior to the Patriots’ loss to the Colts, NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport broke down why it “makes no sense” for New England to fire Belichick before the season is over. Holding onto the future Hall of Famer into the offseason would give the Patriots the opportunity to trade him, but Belichick reportedly would prefer to be axed than dealt.
But regardless of the means of separation, it sure feels like Belichick’s days in Foxboro, Mass. are numbered. And the same might go for Mac Jones.