Bill Belichick Reportedly 'Withdrew' From Coaches Who Weren't 'Loyal' in Last Patriots Run

Apparently, the already-insular head coach got even more insular toward the end.

New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick on Jan 7, 2024. / David Butler II-Imagn Images

According to a new report from The Athletic, former Patriots head coach Bill Belichick reportedly "withdrew" from his staff and those he perceived as disloyal to him during his final season in New England, the outlet reported Wednesday.

Belichick has never been much of an extrovert, but per The Athletic's Chad Graff, the long-tenured coach "further withdrew during [the 2023-24] season amid his team’s struggles, according to team sources with knowledge of the situation." Belichick is also said to have "stopped talking altogether to multiple members of his already small coaching staff, cutting off communication with anyone perceived to be less than entirely loyal to him."

The Pats went 4–13 that season, and Belichick left the franchise a year earlier than he, team owner Robert Kraft, and intended successor Jerod Mayo planned for. The unexpected departure meant Mayo was handed the reigns before he was ready, while Belichick's insular behavior and subsequent exit meant that the "mentorship that was supposed to occur between Belichick and Mayo never happened."

Still, Mayo got the gig. Kraft hoped he could just learn on the job, but we all know how that ends: the team fired Mayo on Sunday after yet another 4–13 finish.

The Pats are now eyeing a number of candidates for the open role, including former franchise star Mike Vrabel and Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson. Luckily, the team has what is believed to be a rising star on its hands—quarterback Drake Maye—which should make the process of hiring a new leader a bit easier.

Belichick, meanwhile, has moved onto warmer—er, greener—pastures with the Univesity of North Carolina Tar Heels, where his steely demeanor will be put to the test.

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