Patriots' Bill Belichick to Meet With Robert Kraft This Week amid Rumors About Future

Rumors have continued to circulate surrounding Bill Belichick's future in New England following a disastrous 4-13 season. But the longtime Patriots' head coach wasn't willing to discuss his future on Sunday.

"As far as the future goes, I'll sit down with [team owner Robert Kraft]—as we do every year at some point at the end of the season—and we'll talk about things, as we always do," he told reporters. "I'm sure that will happen. But that's really about all I have to say about that right now."

Belichick is the most decorated NFL head coach in history, winning six titles and 302 games in his 29 seasons with the Cleveland Browns (1991-95) and Patriots (2000-present). His titles are an NFL record, while his wins rank behind only Miami Dolphins' legend Don Shula (328) and Chicago Bears' icon George Halas (318).

His 31 postseason wins are easily the most in NFL history as well, with Kansas City's Andy Reid (22) the next closest.

But while Belichick has been one of the game's most brilliant defensive minds over the course of his career, it's hard to ignore that the Patriots are just 29-38 since Tom Brady departed for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with only one playoff appearance and no postseason wins.

Granted, the Patriots haven't really come close to replacing him with a solid option, cycling between players like Cam Newton, Jarrett Stidham, Brian Hoyer, Mac Jones and Bailey Zappe at the position. It hasn't helped that the team has been devoid of playmakers on the offensive side of the ball.

Perhaps this offseason they'll finally lock down a viable franchise quarterback, as the Patriots will hold either the No. 2 or 3 pick in the 2024 NFL draft. But at this stage in his career, does the 71-year-old Belichick have the desire to undergo a full rebuild?

That, combined with New England's gradual descent into mediocrity—in large part due to Belichick's own questionable decisions as the team's de facto general manager—has fueled the talk that a change might be good for both sides.

Whether the change for Belichick is coaching elsewhere—which could mean the Patriots try to trade him, since he's still under contract if they don't fire him outright—or simply retiring remains to be seen. But it sure feels like his time in New England is over.