Bill Belichick on Patriots Contract amid NFL Rumors: 'I'm Not Talking About That'

New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick declined to entertain any questions about his contract status during his weekly appearance on The Greg Hill Show on Monday.

"Yeah, I'm not talking about that," he said (via Pro Football Talk's Josh Alper) when asked about a recent report regarding an extension.

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported Sunday that Belichick "quietly agreed to a lucrative multi-year new contract" this past offseason:

While he's not on the hot seat by any stretch, the 71-year-old is probably under more scrutiny than he's ever been since first taking the job in 2000.

Even with a 29-25 win over the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, the Patriots are last in the AFC East at 2-5. They trail the first-place Miami Dolphins by three games, and they're two games off the Bills for the last wild-card spot.

A period of transition was inevitable after Tom Brady left as a free agent in 2020. But missing the playoffs three times in four years would be a disappointing start to the post-Brady era.

Belichick is one of the greatest coaches in NFL history, and he has guided the Pats to six Super Bowl titles. However, his present situation is a reminder that no level of past success makes a coach bulletproof forever.

The MMQB's Albert Breer reported recently on The Rich Eisen Show that Patriots owner Robert Kraft has sketched out what a succession plan on the sidelines might look like. He cited linebackers coach Jerod Mayo as one possible candidate to eventually replace Belichick.

As much as Belichick receiving an extension represents a level of organizational commitment, it doesn't guarantee the Patriots are wedded to the surefire Hall of Famer beyond 2023.

NBC Sports' Peter King questioned whether the new deal fundamentally alters ownership's approach.

"Paying off a contract won't stand in the way of [Kraft] doing what he thinks is best for the organization … and I, in no way, mean this is a done deal—at all," he wrote Monday. "I just mean Kraft's going to do what he thinks is best for the franchise after the season, whether it's keeping Belichick or moving on."

Fans can at least count on one thing: The famously tight-lipped Belichick is unlikely to provide any insight regarding his future as the rest of the season unfolds.