STILL NAVIGATING UNCHARTED WATERS
Belichick confirms he will return for a 24th season and makes it clear: ‘We need to improve’ after rare playoff miss
“Nobody’s satisfied with that. That’s not our goal. We need to improve on that. So that’s all of us — accountability everywhere, starting with me, the coaching staff, players, each unit. They are all things that we will address and that process will start, probably, later today.”
— Bill Belichick, Patriots coach, on 8-9 season
FOXBOROUGH — Bill Belichick made it clear Monday he intends to return as the Patriots head coach for a 24th season and also left no doubt that the status quo will not be tolerated.
“Nobody’s satisfied with that,” Belichick said of the club’s 8-9 record, which left the Patriots without a playoff berth for the second time in two seasons. “That’s not our goal. We need to improve on that. So that’s all of us — accountability everywhere, starting with me, the coaching staff, players, each unit. They are all things that we will address and that process will start, probably, later today.”
Belichick, whose 329 career victories (postseason included) trail only Don Shula (347), said he will have his normal end-of-the-year meeting with team owner Robert Kraft soon.
When asked whether he sees Mac Jones as the Patriots starting quarterback in 2023 or if the position needs to be reevaluated, the coach expressed confidence in Jones but added that the offense didn’t meet expectations.
“I think Mac has the ability to play quarterback in this league,” the coach said. “We have to all work together to try to find the best way as a football team — which obviously quarterback is an important position — to be more productive than we were this year.”
Statistically, Jones’s production dipped in every category compared with his rookie season. He was 288 of 442 for 2,997 yards with 14 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.
He was sacked 34 times and did miss three games and most of a fourth because of injury.
As a rookie, Jones was 352 of 521 for 3,801 yards with 22 TDS and 13 interceptions in helping lead the club to a playoff spot and earn himself a spot in the Pro Bowl. He was
sacked 28 times for 241 yards.
Belichick defended his decisions to have Matt Patricia and Joe Judge be central figures in leading the offense after longtime coordinator Josh Mcdaniels took the Raiders’ top job.
“Every decision that we’ve made has always been
with the intent to do the best thing for the football team,” Belichick said. “That’s the way it’s always been and that’s what it will be going forward. At different decision points, you have different opportunities. As those go along or come along, we’ll continue to evaluate them.”