On January 7, 2024, in Foxborough, Massachusetts, during his final game as the New England Patriots’ head coach, Bill Belichick is seen on the sidelines.

Michael Dwyer from AP

The New England Patriots and head coach Bill Belichick confirmed their separation on Thursday, capping an illustrious tenure that produced six Super Bowl victories and turned the franchise into one of the most prosperous empires in NFL history.

After 24 years, Belichick leaves the Patriots, after an incredible reign characterized by dominating season after dominating season. With the exception of four years, the Patriots enjoyed winning records while led by Belichick, who departs the team with 333 wins, second only to former Miami Dolphins coach Don Shula (347).

Belichick made the statement from Foxborough, Massachusetts, the team’s headquarters, alongside Patriots owner Robert Kraft.

“The amount of success that we were able to achieve together through a lot of hard work and sacrifices of so many people has exceeded my greatest goals and expectations,” Belichick said. “We had a vision of establishing a winner, building a championship football club here.”

Belichick had a tough, no-nonsense demeanor and was well-known for espousing the “Patriot Way,” a concept centered around winning, excellence, preparation, and accountability. Belichick guided the Patriots to nine Super Bowl trips, 17 division victories, and 19 straight winning seasons with quarterback Tom Brady.

The Brady/Belichick partnership developed into one of the most productive coach/quarterback combinations in NFL history. However, after Brady left the Patriots in March 2020, the group found it difficult to repeat its previous achievements. Since Brady left, the Patriots have a 29-38 record and have missed the playoffs three out of the last four seasons.

Following a disappointing 4-13 campaign in which the Patriots finished last in their division, Belichick is leaving the team.

Following the New England Patriots’ victory over the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XLIX in 2015, quarterback Tom Brady and head coach Bill Belichick celebrate.

Matt Slocum/The Associated Press
How it started

His career in New England began in 2000, after Belichick was enticed to the Patriots from the rival New York Jets by Kraft. It was a marriage on the verge of nonexistence. Belichick was scheduled to take over as the Jets’ coach at the time, but he had a change of heart only hours before his first news conference, during which he infamously scrawled, “I quit as HC of the NYJ,” on a piece of notebook paper.

The Patriots were 5-11 in his first season with the team, but things took a sharp turn for the better the following year when Belichick decided to start Brady, who was only a backup in his second season at the time. Brady would lead the franchise to its first ever Super Bowl championship that year, a 20-17 win over the strongly fancied St. Louis Rams.

It was the beginning of an incredible journey that saw the Patriots win three more titles in 2014, 2016, and 2018 in addition to back-to-back championships in 2003 and 2004.

“A successful head coach/owner connection takes a lot of work, just like a good marriage does, and I’m quite proud that our collaboration lasted for 24 years. “I don’t think any other cooperation in the NFL has been as effective and lasted as long as ours,” Kraft told reporters on Thursday.

Despite its success, the team was not without controversy. The Patriots were discovered to be recording the signals of rival teams on camera during games in 2007, sparking the “Spygate” controversy.The Patriots were fined $250,000 and Belichick $500,000 by the NFL. In the NFL draft the following year, the franchise was again forced to relinquish its first-round pick.

The “Deflategate” scandal surfaced in 2015, following accusations that the team had underinflated footballs to give Brady an advantage. Despite the team’s vehement denial of the accusations, Brady was suspended for four games.

It’s unclear where he will go next.

Aside from those incidents, Belichick had an unrivaled success in New England, and he leaves the franchise as the most successful coach in NFL history.

Though he hasn’t disclosed his plans, Belichick is anticipated to be a top choice for any of the eight other NFL teams looking to add a head coach. The power to make the ultimate decisions about roster construction, which he had in New England but is not often granted to other NFL coaches, is thought to be his main priority.

Belichick’s next stop is probably his last at 71 years old. However, there is also the point at which, with only 15 more wins, he would become the most successful coach in league history.