If Bill Belichick is on the way out, it doesn’t look like he’s leaving without a fight.
Per the Boston Sports Journal’s Greg Bedard, when appearing on NBC Sports Boston’s Arbella Early Edition, the New England Patriots coach is expected to “go in on the offensive” in his final meeting with owner Robert Kraft, which will ultimately decide his fate with the team.
There is a growing belief that the Patriots will decide to move on from Belichick, but if the six-time Super Bowl-winning coach has an effective pitch, there’s at least a possibility of him changing things.
“People close to Bill say that he is going to go in on the offensive, that he’s going to have a game plan, knowing that Kraft is probably going to talk about an eloquent solution,” said Bedard. “What’s Bill going to offer and is that going to work?
“I think Kraft, at his baseline, he would love to hear Bill say, ‘You know what? I can’t do the personnel side anymore. I agree with you. This is why it’s gotten here. So I’m open to x, y and z. But I can’t anybody who thinks that type of solution is going to work out well for the Patriots at the end of the day.”
"People close to Bill say he is going to go in on the offensive, that he's going to have a gameplan"@GregABedard and @PhilAPerry discuss how Bill Belichick's approach in his meeting with Robert Kraft could impact ownership's decision on whether to move on from the head coach 🤔 pic.twitter.com/kmg6y8P2ri
— NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSBoston) January 2, 2024
It obviously isn’t an easy decision for Kraft even considering firing the man responsible for building the Patriots’ dynasty. The two also have 24 years of a working relationship together, which is a ridiculously long time for any coach and NFL owner.
Severing a relationship that has lasted that long isn’t easy to do. Quite frankly, it would be easier running it back and hoping things are different with a higher draft pick and more cap space in 2024.
What Belichick brings to the table in that meeting could ultimately decide the future in New England.
