NFL Insider Shares Notable Detail About Bill Belichick’s New Contract
'That would be news to me'
Three days after breaking the news of Bill Belichick’s Patriots contract extension, NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport shed light on an important detail of that pact.
During an appearance Wednesday on WEEI’s “The Greg Hill Show,” Rapoport said the new “multi-year” deal Belichick signed this past offseason, to the best of his knowledge, does not call for the coach to give up any control of New England’s personnel decisions.
“I have not heard that part of it, if that is the case,” Rapoport said. “Now, obviously there are personnel people (in the Patriots organization). There’s (Matt) Groh, there’s (Eliot) Wolf, there’s some people that are really good in the building. Before them, Dave Ziegler did a really nice job. Bill has final say, yes, but there are people doing those jobs as they currently stand.
“Now, Bill obviously has significant say — final say. I have not heard of him giving up final say, if that’s what you’re wondering. I have not heard that this contract forces him or allows him to give up final say. If that is the case, that would be some news to me. But it’s not impossible.”
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Belichick is the only NFL head coach who also serves as his team’s de facto general manager, and the Patriots haven’t exactly been flush with talent in recent years. Two of his most notable roster-building errors this past offseason — swapping out Jakobi Meyers for JuJu Smith-Schuster and not adequately addressing New England’s issues at right tackle — directly contributed to the Patriots’ offensive ineffectiveness.
Taking away Belichick’s personnel control would be a tricky proposition for team owner Robert Kraft, however, and it’s hard to imagine Belichick being willing to coach the Patriots without that power.
The Patriots’ upset win over the Buffalo Bills on Sunday quieted the chatter about Belichick’s job status, but the hot-seat rumors could resume if New England can’t pull off a similar feat this Sunday in Miami. At 2-5, Belichick’s club has a steep hill to climb to avoid missing the playoffs for the third time in the last four seasons.
