logo
Bill Belichick, Robert Kraft feud over Patriots coaching change

Bill Belichick, Robert Kraft feud over Patriots coaching change

The evidence suggests that the parting was far from mutual, however, with repeated sparring in the media following the bitter divorce.
Belichick renewed the war again on July 16 in a statement to ESPN.
"As I told Robert multiple times through the years, I took a big risk by taking the New England Patriots head coaching job," Belichick told ESPN. "I already had an opportunity to be the head coach of the New York Jets, but the ownership situation (there) was unstable."
The coach claimed he was urged to remain with the Jets, rather than accept the job in New England.
"I had been warned by multiple previous Patriots' coaches, as well as other members of other NFL organizations and the media, that the New England job was going to come with many internal obstacles," Belichick said. "I made it clear that we would have to change the way the team was managed to regain the previously attained success."
The statement, which seemingly came out of left field, was in apparent response to something Kraft had said a week earlier on the "Dudes on Dudes" podcast with former Patriots, Julian Edelman and Rob Gronkowski.
Kraft was asked to name his best decision as owner and responded by talking about Belichick - appearing to indicate that hiring the coach was the answer.
"Well, the one that got questioned the most was in '99," Kraft said. "I gave up a No. 1 draft pick for a coach who had only won a little over 40% of his games. But getting Bill Belichick to come to the Patriots in 1999 was a big risk, and I got hammered in the Boston media. But he was with us for 24 years, and we did OK."
Belichick seems to have taken issue with being called a "big risk" by Kraft, but the owner isn't wrong. Trading a first-round pick for a coach with a 36-44 record was far from a safe move.
New England took a leap of faith, knowing they could've handed a top draft pick over to a bitter rival in their own division.
It was the latest chapter in a saga that already saw Belichick omit Kraft from his book and an Apple TV documentary about the Patriots, which portrayed the coach as the bad guy.
The duo went on to experience 24 years of success together, something neither side wants to let go of now. Recent history shows that they were better off together anyway.
Kraft's Patriots fired Belichick's successor, Jerod Mayo, after one season with a 4-13 record. Belichick, on the other hand, has become unrecognizable in his post-Patriots life. Between various media appearances and the ongoing circus surrounding his relationship with 24-year-old Jordon Hudson, the 73-year-old is far from the person NFL fans knew for over two decades.
Now Belichick is in the college ranks, set to make his debut as the head coach at the University of North Carolina in the fall.
It's his latest attempt to move on in his football life, while trying to prove he can still coach at a high level.
Once known for his cut-up hoodies and intimidating sideline demeanor, the ruler of the "Evil Empire" could've opted to walk away and ride into the sunset to await his moment of enshrinement at the Hall of Fame.
Belichick ran his Patriots teams on the idea that they would move on from players a year early, rather than a year late. That seems to be the same concept Kraft employed to move on from the long-time coach.
The previous unflappable, stoic coach finally met his match.
And he's not going down without a fight.
All the NFL news on and off the field. Sign up for USA TODAY's 4th and Monday newsletter.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Dolphins rave about pick No. 231, QB Quinn Ewers
Dolphins rave about pick No. 231, QB Quinn Ewers

Reuters

time13 minutes ago

  • Reuters

Dolphins rave about pick No. 231, QB Quinn Ewers

July 30 - Tua Tagovailoa tossed touchdown passes of 30 and 60 yards on Tuesday but the training camp performance of a position group peer is grabbing the quarterback's attention. Rookie Quinn Ewers, the 231st overall pick in the 2025 draft and a three-year starter at Texas, is putting on a show of his own in a competition with former top-5 pick Zach Wilson. "Quinn Ewers is doing great," Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel said. "He has a personality that players gravitate to." The competition is likely to play out in preseason games in August. Tagovailoa said he's not above playing in the exhibitions, but given his injury history, the Dolphins have little to gain exposing him to meaningless hits before September. Placing Ewers and Wilson, who was drafted by the Jets and spent last season with the Denver Broncos, in game-like situations will probably take precedent for Miami. Because Tagovailoa missed six games last season and the Dolphins were entirely dormant offensively without him, there's added focus on finding a productive passer behind him. In five NFL seasons, Tagovailoa has played in 64 total games. "I think Quinn Ewers has been balling," Tagovailoa said. In one red-zone drill on Monday, Tagovailoa was one of the most vocal cheerleaders as Ewers threw three touchdown passes and set social media ablaze with his accuracy. "I think, realistically, Quinn's development is all him," McDaniel said. "But it's as much as coaching and from the quarterback coaches and Zach and Tua as well. They're creating a good environment that he has to keep up with because the other two are rolling." Ewers threw for 9,128 yards and 68 touchdowns at Texas. --Field Level Media

Shannon Sharpe is AXED by ESPN just weeks after NFL legend settled $50m sexual assault lawsuit
Shannon Sharpe is AXED by ESPN just weeks after NFL legend settled $50m sexual assault lawsuit

Daily Mail​

time2 hours ago

  • Daily Mail​

Shannon Sharpe is AXED by ESPN just weeks after NFL legend settled $50m sexual assault lawsuit

ESPN has reportedly cut ties with Shannon Sharpe after the NFL legend settled a $50 million rape lawsuit with an ex-girlfriend. Sharpe has been away from the network since late April, when he was first sued by the woman identified as his former girlfriend. In settling the lawsuit, Sharpe's accuser retracted her rape accusation against the former Denver Broncos tight end. Daily Mail has reached out to ESPN spokespeople for comment. The Athletic's Andrew Marchand was the first to report the decision.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store