It’s been a very busy and shocking week in the football world. It’s not because of all the NFL playoffs starting, it’s because of a shocking and upsetting retirement. The legendary Head Coach of the New England Patriots Bill Belichick, finally called it quits after nearly spending a quarter of a century with the team.

Belichick started out his coaching career as the Head Coach for the Cleveland Browns for five years, before getting fired in 1996. In 2000, the Patriots hired Bill for the head coaching spot. Little did they know Bill would guide New England to nine Super Bowl appearances (they won six of them), and become the second most winning coach in history, with 296 wins under his belt. 

Bill also developed great relationships with his players throughout his time there. Tom Brady, Randy Moss, Julian Edeleman, and Rob Gronkowski are a few notable players that he has coached during his career. Him and legendary Quarterback Tom Brady were the most famous, and an unstoppable coach & player duo, which lasted them almost 20 years. They have won six super bowls together, clinched 17 division titles, along with 30 playoff victories. Through 18 seasons together, they have a record of 249-75.

After Brady got traded to Tampa Bay in 2020, things started to change in New England. The Patriots dynasty became less than mediocre, with a combined record of 29-38 over the last four years. New England finished this year with a record of 4-13, marking Bill’s worst coaching year ever.

 “He is the greatest coach of all time and he deserves to be a first ballot hall of famer”, said Patriots owner Robert Kraft. 

The Patriots have to stay prepared for next season, which will bring on Jerod Mayo as the new head coach. Mayo was a former player at University of Tennessee as a linebacker for several years, and played for the Patriots from 2008-2015, which includes winning the 2014 Super Bowl. Needless to say, Mayo has the experience and willpower to keep the Patriots up and running for the next season. 

 Many players, current and former, posted on social media when they found out the news of Bilichick, thanking him for being a great human, coach and being a part of their legacies. Although it’s sad to see him go, many other fans are excited for a new era to begin for the Patriots!