Every generation of the NFL seems to be covered by the name of some great dynastic team. Interestingly, in most cases, the team has been led by the head coach and starting quarterback duo. Vince Lombardi and Bart Starr, Tom Landry and Roger Staubach, Chuck Knoll and Terry Bradshaw, Bill Walsh and Joe Montana, Jimmie Johnson and Troy Aikman, Tony Dungy and Peyton Manning, and Bill Belichick and Tom Brady. The final page of the story involving that last pair has now been written as the New England Patriots part ways with Bill Belichick. This move is a surprise to no one but nevertheless marks the end of an era.
Bill Belichick and “The Patriot Way”
Throughout recent memory, New England has been the standard bearer of a particular culture known as “The Patriot Way,” a philosophy that harkens back to an old adage from legendary University of Michigan Coach Bo Schembechler – “The Team! The Team! The Team!” Under Bill Belichick’s leadership, no player was to present himself above the shield of the Patriots. With that philosophy and the talent of a little-known sixth-round draft pick by the name of Tom Brady, this dynasty lasted the better part of two decades. In total, they accumulated nine trips to the Super Bowl and six Championships. Not only that, they dominated the AFC East with 17 division titles.
2023 Season Changes Everything
But in 2023, all that changed. Poor quarterback play, bad play calling, untimely mistakes: These are hallmarks of the team that just finished 4-13 in the recently expanded 17-game schedule and are far from the achievements Robert Kraft has been used to since he purchased the team in 1994.
Belichick was not the first head coach Kraft worked with after his acquisition of the Patriots. First was Bill Parcells, who led the team until being“traded” to the New York Jets after the 1996 season. Pete Carroll then took over the team for three years and finished with a record of 27-21. It was then that Parcells recommended Kraft take a chance on his former defensive coordinator, who helped the Giants win two Super Bowls.
In the first two years of his tenure, Belichick’s quarterback was Drew Bledsoe, a tall, strong-armed flame thrower with All-Pro credentials and a former number-one overall pick with all the experience and pedigree to lead the team to success. The organization was behind this quarterback with a massive $103M contract signed in the spring of 2001.
All that changed in the second game of the 2001 season when Bledsoe was hit out of bounds by Mo Lewis of the New York Jets. The resulting injury was a life-threatening sheared blood vessel that would prevent him continuing to play.
Belichick With and Without Brady
In stepped Tom Brady. With him, Belichick brought the team their first Super Bowl victory in three attempts. Despite the financial investment in Bledsoe, Belichick believed in sticking with the quarterback who led the team to victory. Bledsoe was eventually traded to division rival Buffalo.
After that, the floodgates of success were open for the Patriots through the 2019 season. At that time, at age 41, Brady decided to sign a two-year contract to play at Tampa Bay, where he successfully acquired another Super Bowl ring. Since the departure of Tom Brady, the Patriots have started four different quarterbacks with varying success. None provided the level of play and locker room leadership Belichick needed to start the next chapter of his coaching life with the organization.
Of course, Tom Brady wasn’t the only risk Belichick took during his time as General Manager in New England. He was known to bring on players who would have been difficult reclamation projects for other organizations, such as Corey Dillon, Vince Wolfork, and “problem child” Randy Moss, with whom Belichick achieved the most successful regular season in NFL history. It seems his coaching style and lack of tolerance for individuality and press grabbing helped mold these “characters” into a well-oiled machine. Shrewd move after shrewd move during the dynasty became a hallmark of the team.
During the last four seasons without Brady, the defense remained a strength of the team, but offense became a deficiency. In the end, it was the opinion of owner Robert Kraft that the team was not on a positive path and was, therefore, due for a change.
The Patriots are now on the search for a new story with a new dynasty. It may not last nearly as long as Belichick’s, but one certainly hopes it will be just as relevant to the ever-growing tapestry of NFL history.