One Patriots Hall of Famer believes Bill Belichick is preparing for this to potentially be his final season in New England.
Former linebacker Tedy Bruschi, who won three Super Bowl titles under Belichick, speculated Monday on ESPN's "Get Up" that the legendary head coach is bracing for the end of his Patriots tenure.
Franchise owner Robert Kraft, Bruschi said, should be, as well, with his team sitting at 1-5 for the first time since 1995.
"I think Bill Belichick is considering it, and I also think Robert Kraft is the one that has to start to consider, is it time to move on?" Bruschi said one day after the Patriots lost to the Las Vegas Raiders 21-17 at Allegiant Stadium. "Because right now, if they get a top-five pick, Mr. Kraft (would) have to decide if Bill is the right one to take one of those three, four quarterbacks, whatever it may be, that you could possibly get, and if he wants to start over with Bill.
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"That's Mr. Kraft's decision. That's an owner's responsibility. Bill always talks about doing your job, and that is Mr. Kraft's job to consider."
The Patriots are tied for the second-worst record in the NFL through six weeks and currently are projected to receive the sixth overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. With tough divisional matchups against the Buffalo Bills and Miami Dolphins up next on their schedule, a 1-7 start is a very real possibility.
It already would take a remarkable turnaround for New England to reach the playoffs in the highly competitive AFC. And at this rate, it'll take Belichick several more seasons to break Don Shula's all-time NFL wins record.
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Bruschi doesn't believe Kraft should retain Belichick and possibly delay a franchise rebuild just to allow him to pass Shula.
"The wins now -- I have always known Bill to only coach for meaningful wins," Bruschi said. "Meaningful in terms of division championships, playoff wins, Super Bowls. It's shifted now. The meaningful wins are now all for him. It's for the Shula mark. Isn't that over all of him right now, all of the organization -- the 18 he needs to get Shula? I think it's eight more until the all-time loss record, also.
"That's what it's all about, though. That's never what I knew Bill to coach for. So, is it all about Shula? Because if it is, we've really got to look in the mirror and say, 'Where are we going in the future?' And that's a tough decision for Mr. Kraft."
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Bruschi said even before Sunday's loss in Vegas that Belichick should retire to Nantucket after this season. He's one of multiple Patriots greats to publicly criticize his former coach during New England's recent losing skid, with Julian Edelman also doing so last week.
Featured image via Stephen R. Sylvanie/USA TODAY Sports Images
