Stephen A. Smith Suggests Bill Belichick Ultimatum For Patriots

Stephen A. Smith believes Robert Kraft needs to adjust Bill Belichick’s slate of responsibilities with the Patriots.

Few have ever questioned Belichick’s coaching abilities, as the future Pro Hall of Fame arguably is the best to ever patrol an NFL sideline. Belichick’s player personnel skills, however, are a different story. He caught draft flak even when Tom Brady was quarterbacking New England and inadequate talent arguably is the biggest reason why the Patriots only have posted one winning season since TB12 left town.

As such, Smith believes there needs to be a new leader of football operations in Foxboro, Mass. The “First Take” co-host on Monday also called for a drastic move if Belichick didn’t accept a diminished role.

“It has to be said so I’m going to say it: If I’m Robert Kraft, the owner of the New England Patriots, I call Bill Belichick, the six-time champion, into my office,” Smith said on ESPN. “Here’s what I tell him: ‘You are no longer the GM, the football decision-maker for this franchise. You can coach, but that’s it. You’re not deciding personnel any longer.’ If Bill Belichick did not accept that, this would be Bill Belichick’s last season in New England.”

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Smith’s suggested ultimatum boiled down to two factors. The outspoken pundit believes Belichick pushed Brady out of New England before the legendary QB wanted to leave and proceeded to stunt the growth of Brady’s successor, Mac Jones, last season.

Belichick helped turn the Patriots into one of the most valuable sports franchises in the world, so it’s tough to imagine a scenario where Kraft pushes him out. But a lot needs to change in New England, and the organization probably could benefit from new faces to work alongside Belichick.