New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick announced he will "move on" from the club after a 24-year run and leading the Patriots to six Super Bowl titles. Belichick made the announcement Thursday standing next to club owner Robert Kraft.
"At this time, we're gonna move on and I look forward, I'm excited for the future, but always very, very appreciative of the opportunity here, the support here and what Robert has done for me," Belichick said.
Kraft said that the split was "amicable."
"Like a good marriage, a successful head coach-owner relationship requires a lot of hard work and I am very proud that our partnership has lasted 24 years," Kraft said, adding that he regretted not hiring him earlier.
Belichick is the third-winningest coach in NFL history, compiling 302 regular-season victories. He also has by far the most postseason victories with 31. He also has the most Super Bowl victories.
His 24-year tenure with the Patriots was the fourth-longest in NFL history. Only Curly Lambeau with the Packers, Tom Landry with the Cowboys and Don Shula with the Dolphins led their respective teams for longer.
Belichick's tenure has soured in recent seasons as the Patriots went 4-13 in 2023. Since Tom Brady left New England as its quarterback, the Patriots have only made the postseason once, promptly getting eliminated by Buffalo in the Wild Card round in 2021.
Prior to his tenure with the Patriots, Belichick was the head coach of the Cleveland Browns from 1991-95 before they moved to Baltimore. The Browns went 36-44 during his stint there. After his stint with the Browns, he was assistant head coach and defensive back coach with the Patriots in 1996. Belichick then spent three seasons as the New York Jets' assistant head coach and defensive coordinator.
ESPN reported that Belichick is expected to draw interest from numerous NFL teams that have recently parted ways with their head coach. With the opening in New England, there will be eight open head coaching positions in the NFL.
Belichick's departure in New England comes as Alabama coach Nick Saban announced he is leaving the Crimson Tide following one of the best tenures in college football history. Saban was on Belichick's staff in Cleveland from 1991-94.
