Is Bill Belichick’s glorious Patriots reign approaching an ugly conclusion?
As he lifted the Vince Lombardi trophy after his New England Patriots defeated the Los Angeles Rams at Super Bowl LIII in 2019, it seemed unthinkable that Bill Belichick, the most successful coach in NFL history, could ever enter a season with his job on the line.
It was the culmination of a campaign in which he had led the Patriots to a top-place finish in the AFC East for the 16th time in 19 seasons, and for the 10th year in succession, as well as claiming the AFC championship for the ninth time. His sixth Super Bowl triumph confirmed his status as professional football’s most decorated coach.
Yet, after three years of stagnation, uncharacteristically ill-advised decisions and substandard performances, Belichick enters the new NFL season – his 24th in charge of the Patriots – coaching for his future in Foxborough.
The Patriots have posted a 25-25 cumulative record over the past three regular seasons. They have featured in just one playoff game – a blowout 47-17 loss to the Buffalo Bills in the 2021-22 wildcard round – since Tom Brady left for Tampa Bay after that Super Bowl LIII victory.
Now the NFL’s most dominant team of the century enter the upcoming season as anything but playoff certainties.
One of the primary questions lingering over the Patriots’ hopes surrounds Mac Jones’s aptitude as a starting quarterback on a team unfamiliar with mediocrity.
Jones was a first-round draft pick in 2021, and enjoyed a promising rookie campaign, throwing for 3,801 yard and 22 touchdowns to guide the Patriots to a 10-7 record and a return to the playoffs after missing out in 2020. Although he lacked the athleticism of many of his contemporaries, Jones appeared to have the poise, arm talent and self-confidence to, if not fill, at least grow into Brady’s sizeable cleats.
But Jones struggled last season, throwing for just 2,997 yards, 14 touchdowns and 11 interceptions, with the Patriots losing eight of the 14 games he started. When Bailey Zappe, a rookie fourth-round pick, replaced the injured Jones for two weeks, New England won both games and there was a clamor for the back-up to keep his place. When Jones returned to face the Chicago Bears in Week 7, he started poorly and, after throwing an interception in the second quarter, fans cheered when Zappe was returned to the lineup. Zappe immediately threw a 30-yard touchdown. Had the rookie not gone on to throw two interceptions in what was ultimately a 33-14 loss, Jones might have been out of a job.
One of the reasons cited for Jones’s sophomore struggles was Matt Patricia, who was the team’s offensive playcaller last season. It was a striking error of judgment from someone as wily, experienced and successful as Belichick to have handed the keys to his offense to Patricia, who is known more for his defensive acumen.
It’s a mistake Belichick, the Patriots’ de facto GM, has attempted to rectify. Belichick has hired Bill O’Brien, who briefly worked with Jones at Alabama, to replace Patricia as the play-caller on offense this season. O’Brien’s reign as head coach at the Houston Texans ended disastrously, although that was more to do with his skills as an administrator than his playcalling.
Zappe has gone from the 53-man roster, too. He was waived this week as the Patriots trimmed their roster (though soon brought back for the practice squad). There were reports back