Belichick’s reign comes to an end

Cutoff Patriots sweatshirts are about to become collector’s items. Bill Belichick announced yesterday that he is stepping down as New England Patriots head coach after 24 years.

Belichick had a legendary tenure, which included six Super Bowl titles in nine appearances with the Pats, a record 31 postseason wins, and multiple years as the highest-paid coach in US professional sports. Between 2001 and 2019, Belichick and QB Tom Brady made magic together: The Patriots won 76% of regular season games, transforming from a struggling franchise into one of the greatest sports dynasties of all time.

But…stars can’t shine forever. Belichick finished the 2023 season with a 4–13 record, garnering criticism for some of his player personnel decisions. Like a startup CEO tasked with talking to investors and interviewing interns in wrinkled blazers, Belichick was stretched too thin as the head coach and de facto general manager, critics said. If he coaches another team, it’s unlikely he’ll have that much autonomy again.

It was apparently the week to call it quits: Belichick’s former coworker Nick Saban announced he was leaving the University of Alabama after 17 seasons leading the Tide, while longtime Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll is out after 14 years in the Emerald City. All three were among the 10 highest-paid coaches in US sports.