Patriots Rumors: Bill Belichick's Friends Privately 'Worried' About HC's Job Security

Friends of New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick believe that the eight-time Super Bowl winner could be on the hot seat in 2023.

Ben Volin of the Boston Globe relayed the news.

"Robert Kraft already made it clear in March that he wants the Patriots to make the postseason and win a playoff game for the first time in five years," Volin wrote Tuesday.

"He also paid Jerod Mayo handsomely to keep him off the coaching market and likely views him as the team's coach-in-waiting. And Belichick's friends have privately said they are worried that he is on the hot seat in 2023."

Belichick has won eight Lombardi trophies—two with the New York Giants as their defensive coordinator and six more as the Patriots head coach.

He enjoyed a run of three Super Bowls in five years with the Pats (2014, 2016, 2018), but the team hasn't won a playoff game since the last championship run.

Since Tom Brady left for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after the 2019 season, New England has gone just 25-25 with one playoff appearance, which ended with a disastrous 47-17 loss to the Buffalo Bills in the AFC Wild Card Round.

New England looked as if it would be in position for a playoff spot in 2022 after a 6-4 start capped by a three-game winning streak, but the team went 2-5 down the stretch. The Pats notably struggled to score all season, finishing No. 17 in points per game after ending the 2021 campaign sixth in that category.

New England has made one big change in hopes of boosting the offense, adding former Pats offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien back into the mix.

O'Brien served as the team's OC in 2011, when New England won an AFC title and finished third in scoring. The Pats also added wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster from the Kansas City Chiefs via free agency.

Patriots owner Robert Kraft was asked about the team's recent track record at the NFL's annual league meetings in March, and he expressed confidence in Belichick's ability in getting the job done, per Greg A. Bedard of the Boston Sports Journal (h/t Conor Ryan of boston.com).

"I think Bill is exceptional at what he does and I've given him the freedom to make the choices and do the things that need to be done. His football intellect and knowledge is unparalleled from what I've seen. Just when you talk to him, the small things analytically that he looks at.

"But in the end, this is a business. You either execute and win or you don't. That's where we're at. I think we're in a transition phase. I think we've made some moves this year that I personally am comfortable with and I still believe in Bill."

The 70-year-old Belichick has coached in the NFL since 1975. He's been with the Pats since 2020 and compiled a record of 262-108 along the way.