Consent to cede control may boost staying power
FOXBOROUGH — Amid uncertainty about his future, Patriots coach Bill Belichick expressed a willingness to relinquish some control over the personnel department moving forward.
Belichick, who has served as New England’s general manager during his 24-year tenure as head coach, said Monday he would be open to adjusting his role if the organization deems that is best for the team.
“I’m for whatever, collectively, we decide as an organization is the best thing to help our football team,” Belichick said. “I have multiple roles in [the personnel department], and I rely on a lot of people to help me in those responsibilities.
“If somebody’s got to have the final say, I rely on a lot of other people to help. And, however that process is, I’m only part of it.”
At the time of Belichick’s remarks, he had not yet met with Patriots owner Robert Kraft to discuss his future or potential changes for next season.
Belichick would not say when he plans to meet with Kraft, adding that they may require “a series” of meetings.
Belichick conducted his endof-season news conference Monday as if he will remain coach of the Patriots, noting that he is still under contract. He would not say whether he’s received indications from ownership that his job status is in jeopardy.
“I’m going to do everything I can every day to do the best I can to help our football team,” Belichick said. “That’s what I’ve always done.
“It’s never been any different for me in my career. I learned that lesson from my dad growing up: You work for the team that you’re working for and do the best you can for it, until somebody tells you different. So, that’s not going to change.”
Asked if he would be interested in coaching outside of New England, Belichick said he would not entertain hypothetical situations.
Monday served as a “wrap-up day” for the Patriots, as players met with the coaching staff to review the season. Belichick was meeting separately with his staff, the personnel department, and, of course, Kraft to evaluate the team’s performance and assess individual situations, including his own.
“End-of-the-year processes I don’t think will be fundamentally any different from the standpoint of how it’s done,” Belichick said. “The decisions, that’s a whole other conversation.”
Belichick would not get into details when asked about the Patriots’ downward trajectory over the past two seasons, the construction of the roster, and the future of 2021 first-round draft pick Mac Jones.
Asked if it would surprise him if Kraft chose to move on, Belichick once again would not say but affirmed his investment in the Patriots.
“I’m going to focus on what I can control and focus on, and that’s my work ethic and my effort to do what I can to help the Patriots organization, which I’m heavily invested in,” he said.