Robert Kraft honest view on Bill Belichick's NFL future after Patriots exit
Robert Kraft, the owner of the New England Patriots, has spoken out after Bill Belichick was left without a coaching job for the next NFL season.
After helping to transform the Patriots into one of the most successful franchises in NFL history, 71-year-old Belichick decided to leave the team after 24 years. However, his hopes of finding a new job immediately were dashed as all head coaching positions in the league have been filled for the upcoming season.
Kraft reacted to this news on Friday at the MusiCares Gala, where he presented Jon Bon Jovi with the Person of the Year Award. The 82-year-old told FOX News: "Well, he's pretty special. We were lucky to have him for a quarter of a century. We only wish him well."
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Belichick left the Patriots coaching role following another disappointing season. He led his team to just four wins, the worst record of his Patriots career, and they finished bottom of the AFC East. Kraft said in January that the Patriots and Belichick parted ways amicably and he had kind words for the man who brought much success to New England.
"I’m very proud that our partnership lasted for 24 years," Kraft said. “Bill has taught me a lot over those years, and we had high expectations for what we could achieve together. I think we were the only ones who had those expectations, and I think it’s safe to say we exceeded them."
Heading into next season, Belichick won't be leading an NFL team for the first time since 2000. If he doesn't become an assistant coach, this will be his first year out of NFL coaching since his college days back in 1974-75. There was talk about him possibly becoming the Atlanta Falcons' new boss after Arthur Smith was let go. But the organisation was divided as some were keen on him, but others remembered the sour end to his Patriots career.
Belichick will not have an NFL head coaching job for the first time since 2000 (Getty)In the end, Raheem Morris got the job; he'd been the stand-in boss for the Falcons back in 2020. The Washington Commanders, the Seattle Seahawks, and the Los Angeles Chargers have all now picked new head coaches too. The Chargers went for Jim Harbaugh, who used to be with the Michigan Wolverines, and the Seahawks chose Mike Macdonald.
The Commanders have finally appointed Dan Quinn, which left Belichick and Mike Vrabel as two big-name coaches without a head coaching role for the upcoming season. It's still uncertain what Belichick has planned for 2024.
If he doesn't fancy a complete break and would rather stay involved in football but in a different way, he could start featuring on TV. This path is similar to the one John Madden took after his legendary coaching career ended. He was a colour commentator for CBS, FOX, ABC and NBC from 1979 to 2009.
* An AI tool was used to add an extra layer to the editing process for this story.
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