New England head coach Bill Belichick ended any speculation about his future by announcing he will continue in his role at the franchise next season. It will be his 24th season in the position.
The 2022/23 campaign was largely disappointing for Belichick and the Patriots. They missed out on the playoffs after finishing with an 8-9 losing record. It is only the fifth time in 23 years that the AFC East team has failed to make the postseason under their current head coach.
One of the motivations for carrying on could be to break former Miami Dolphins coach Don Shula’s record of the most wins as a head coach in the NFL. Shula ended his career with 347 victories. Belichick is 18 wins away from that figure, as success over the Miami Dolphins in week 17 gave him his 329th career triumph in the league.
Belichick, who joined the Patriots as their head coach in 2000, has the longest active tenure at a franchise. The three-time NFL Coach of the Year will be in his 48th season as an NFL coach when the new campaign begins in September.
One Of The Most Successful Head Coaches in History
When the Patriots defeated the Los Angeles Rams at Super Bowl LIII, Belichick became one of only three head coaches to win six Super Bowls. He also won the Super Bowl twice as a defensive coordinator with the New York Giants.
Although last season was a difficult one for the Patriots, there were no suggestions from the franchise that they were unhappy with their head coach. His record since taking over in New England is 292-120.
Tom Brady (41) and Bill Belichick (66) are now the oldest QB and head coach to win a Super Bowl.
Brady passes Charles Haley for the most Super Bowl titles by a player (6).
Belichick ties George Halas and Curly Lambeau for the most NFL championships by a head coach (6). pic.twitter.com/34twatAfjp
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) February 4, 2019
When he does retire from the NFL, Belichick will go down in history as being a part of the Patriots Dynasty. Along with quarterback Tom Brady, often touted as the greatest QB of all time, they dominated the NFL, with six Super Bowls and a total of nine appearances in the biggest game in the sport.
Bills the Team to Beat in AFC East Next Season
The first challenge for Belichick and New England next season will be to win back their AFC East divisional title. Buffalo Bills won the division for the third year running, and they are going to be a tough team to topple.
Sean McDermott’s side is one of the most popular teams across the United States, particularly in places such as Ohio, due to their geographical location. The Bills are the 4/1 second-favourites to win the Super Bowl this season, which says a lot about how highly they are regarded. If you are looking to back the AFC East champions, you can read more on how to bet on sports in Ohio and use one of the leading sportsbook promotions, such as BetMGM’s $1,000 in bet credits offered to new customers.
So far today:
Mac Jones: 4 incompletions
Zach Wilson: 3 interceptions pic.twitter.com/q2wDJWAqhW— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) September 19, 2021
Planning is already underway in New England for the next campaign, however, Belichick has refused to commit to who will be at quarterback as Mac Jones has had a difficult season. His head coach will have to decide whether to stick with the former first-round pick or to look elsewhere.
There will also be big decisions regarding some of Belichick’s coaching team. He is set to sit down with owner Robert Kraft in March and the pair may then iron out what needs to change to get better results on the gridiron.
New England will return to regular season action on September 10, unless they are involved in any of the prime-time games in week one.