Even if Robert Kraft wants to part ways with Bill Belichick, the Patriots owner isn’t going to let him go for nothing.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported on Sunday that the Patriots will want compensation from another team should Belichick want to coach somewhere else next season.
“My understanding is that Robert Kraft, the owner, is not inclined to fire Bill Belichick midseason, which is unbelievable and amazing that we are discussing this,” Rapoport said. “But given the record, given last couple of years, at least it’s a topic in New England, on the airwaves, and elsewhere.
“… If Belichick is going to somehow someway coach elsewhere next year, the Patriots have him under contract. They would at least want some sort of compensation to make this happen. If you’re going to fire him, what does that actually do? Does it give you a jump on a process when you may have his successor already in the building in Jerod Mayo? A lot of reasons why it would not make sense to move on from Bill Belichick at least during the season.”
ProFootballTalk’s Mike Florio recently floated a theory about the Commanders being interested in trading for Belichick.
Belichick’s future has been put into question as the Patriots have continued to struggle, entering Sunday with a 2-7 record, in which they beat the Jets and Bills in Week 3 and 7, respectively.
More firing speculation grew ahead of the game against the Colts (4-5) in Germany on Sunday.
The Boston Globe’s Ben Volin said a coaching change could take place if a loss were to occur.
“Based on my conversations, I don’t think it’s 100 percent that Belichick finishes out this season. These next two games before the bye are huge, particularly the Germany game, which is practically the team’s Super Bowl for the Krafts,” Volin wrote. “If Belichick loses at home to the Commanders and then to the Colts, and comes home from Germany with a 2-8 record, I think there’s a chance the Krafts could make the move in the bye week and install Jerod Mayo as the interim coach for the final seven games.”
The team has struggled since losing Tom Brady in 2020 to the Buccaneers, where he eventually retired after the 2022 season.
After defeating the Rams in the Super Bowl with Brady in February 2019, the Patriots have lost in the wild-card round twice and are set to miss the playoffs for the third time in the last five years.
The Colts led the Patriots on Sunday, 10-6, midway through the fourth quarter.
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