‘Going to control what I can control’
New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick may have brought six Super Bowl rings to the franchise, but that doesn’t completely shield him from criticism. Belichick was asked about his job security after the Patriots fell to the Washington Commanders in Week 9.
With the loss, New England now sits at 2-7 and holds the No. 5 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. That resulted in questions about Belichick’s future with the Patriots.
Belichick, 71, generally avoided those questions following Sunday’s game, saying he would, “Control what I can control” moving forward, per masslive.com.
“My focus is on getting ready for the Colts,” Belichick replied.
He was then asked if he personally believes he could be coaching for his job against Indianapolis this weekend in Germany.
“I’m going to control what I can control and I’m going to get ready for the Colts,” Belichick said.
While it comes off as typical Belichick, it’s not a bad answer. He has no control over whether he will get fired, and the best thing he can do is prepare to win the next game. That will come in Germany, as the Patriots are set to take on the Indianapolis Colts in Week 10.
Belichick did admit to being “frustrated” with the team’s performance. When asked whether he believed Patriots owner Robert Kraft was disappointed with the team’s record, Belichick said he wouldn’t speak for Kraft, but that “everyone’s frustrated.”
Will the Patriots fire Bill Belichick?
Questions about Belichick’s are valid considering the team’s struggles, but also feel silly considering he’s arguably the greatest coach in NFL history. In 24 seasons as the Patriots’ head coach, Belichick has a 264-115 record and six Super Bowl titles. He’s led the team to 30 playoff victories over that period. And has put up a record below .500 just three times. He’s a lock for the Pro Football Hall of Fame the moment he’s eligible.
Recent success is weighed more heavily in coaching decisions, however, and it’s true that Belichick is 27-32 since Tom Brady left the Patriots. Belichick did manage to lead the Patriots to the playoffs in 2021 without Brady, but that’s still a pretty steep drop compared to the way the team performed at the height of its power.
Still, firing Belichick feels unlikely. Given his previous success, Belichick will either keep coaching the Patriots until he’s ready to step away, or the team will elevate Belichick to a front office role once it wants to give the job to someone new. The only way Belichick gets fired is if his relationship with the club completely deteriorates.
That’s not impossible, just look at the Brady situation, but the odds Belichick gets fired after his first disaster season in decades seems incredibly small.