Bill Belichick contract with Patriots is one of NFL's 'closely held secrets'

23 October 2023 , 15:31

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Bill Belichick signed a new contract with the New England Patriots during the off-season (Image: Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

Bill Belichick’s new contract with the New England Patriots has been described as one of the most “closely held secrets” in the NFL.

With the Patriots enduring a difficult start to the season, there was speculation Belichick’s position as head coach and de facto general manager was under question. Prior to Week 7, the Patriots had started the season 1-5 after the first six games of the year. Sunday saw the Patriots record a 29-25 win over AFC East divisional rivals the Buffalo Bills, the first victory for Belichick’s team since Week 3 against the New York Jets and moved them to 2-5 for the season.

In the hours before the Patriots faced the Bills at Gillette Stadium, news emerged Belichick had signed a new contract prior to the start of the season. It was claimed by NFL Network Belichick signed a “multi-year” contract during the off-season.

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Belichick has been the head coach of the Patriots since the 2000 NFL season, winning six Super Bowls along the way. And it seems that the news that the 71-year-old had put pen to paper on fresh terms in Foxborough was well guarded. “Sources say Bill Belichick during the offseason quietly agreed to terms on a lucrative, multi-year, new contract,” NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport said on .

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"His contract [is] one of the most closely held secrets in New England. That said, I think it's fair to say there was some, at least, uncertainty or intrigue surrounding him. Now, contractually, he is locked up long-term." Earlier this month, Patriots owner Robert Kraft was asked about Belichick’s position as head coach amid the struggles of the season. Rather than get drawn on the speculation, Kraft gave a rather blunt answer about Belichicl’s future. “I’ll let you ask him, he has to decide what’s right for him,” Kraft said on "The David Rubenstein Show."

After the win against the Bills, Belichick and the Patriots will have added confidence going into Week 8 of the NFL season against the Miami Dolphins. The road game to Hard Rock Stadium will see the Patriots go up against the highest-scoring team in the league this season with 240, which is comfortably more than the 198 scored by the Bills who are the second-highest.

Mark Wakefield