The New England Patriots and legendary head coach Bill Belichick have decided to part ways, ending a remarkable 24-season journey in the NFL.
This decision comes after a mutual agreement between Belichick and Patriots owner Robert Kraft.
Falcons owner Arthur Blank, known for his pursuit of high-profile head coaches, now sees a golden opportunity in Belichick.
Having previously sought coaching legends like Joe Gibbs and Bill Parcells, Blank has a chance to lure the recently available Belichick to Atlanta, especially with the team having a head coaching vacancy.
The Atlanta Falcons, concluding their 2023 NFL season with a 7-10 record, faced a challenging campaign.
With a win-loss percentage of 0.412, they struggled for consistent success on the field. Despite scoring 321 points, the Falcons’ defense allowed 373 points, resulting in a net point difference of -52. Their home performance was relatively stronger with a 5-3 record, but on the road, they encountered difficulties, finishing 2-7.
In divisional matchups, the Falcons achieved a balanced 3-3 record, maintaining a .500 percentage. However, in conference play, they faced more significant challenges, finishing 4-8 with a percentage of 0.333.
The team had a slightly better performance in non-conference games, closing with a 3-2 record. The Falcons ended the season with a two-game losing streak (Strk: 2L) and struggled in their last five games, managing only one victory (Last 5: 1-4-0).
On January 9, the Atlanta Falcons made a coaching change, firing coach Arthur Smith.
If the Falcons decide to pursue Belichick, they will be bringing an impressive resume that includes 17 divisional titles, 11 consecutive playoff appearances, and six Super Bowl championships.
Belichick’s departure from the Patriots is marked by a challenging season for the team.
In the 2023 NFL season, the New England Patriots, endured a historic downturn. Starting with a 1–5 record, their worst since 1995, they hit a new low at 2–8 after a Week 10 loss – a performance unseen since 2000.
Progressing through the season, the Patriots’ struggles intensified, sealing their fate with a Week 12 defeat to the New York Giants, marking their second consecutive losing season and the third in the last four years.
Despite aspirations for improvement from the previous year’s 8–9 record, the team failed to make strides forward. A Week 13 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers ensured the Patriots would finish with at least 10 losses for the first time since 2000. The season concluded with a dismal 4–13 record, the worst winning percentage (.235) since 1992. This marked the first instance of back-to-back losing seasons for the Patriots since 1992–1993, highlighting the gravity of their struggles.
Their postseason hopes faded for the second consecutive year after the Cincinnati Bengals defeated the Colts in Week 14. A Week 17 loss to the Buffalo Bills solidified their last-place finish in the AFC East, a position they hadn’t occupied since 2000. The 2023 season stands as the first time since 1992 that the Patriots lost at least 13 games in a single season, marking Bill Belichick’s worst-ever season as an NFL head coach.
