The New England Patriots had a golden dynasty when NFL GOAT Tom Brady was doing the quarterbacking job under head coach Bill Belichick. Times passed, and TB12 retired from the league before having a short tenure with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The Bill-Brady duo brought six Super Bowls to New England in two decades, but that is like a good old moment for the Patriots, who terribly went down following Tom Terrific’s departure. With a 2-7 record, the team is only going down as the season proceeds, and though Brady came forward to defend Bill in this hard time, the franchise is reportedly preparing itself to part ways with the coach amid the regular season.
Patriots reportedly eyeing Mike Vrabel as potential Belichick successor
Rumors had been circulating over the past few days that Patriots owner Robert Kraft would be moving on from Belichick following the team’s recent downfall. Reportedly, the Patriots owner would seriously consider firing the coach if the Pats fell to 2-8 with Sunday’s loss to the Indianapolis Colts.
The question remains, who will lead the squad if Bill is sacked midway? However, the Pats have reportedly planned to assign the responsibility to Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel, according to Ben Volin of the Boston Globe.
“Two sources close to the Patriots have independently said the same thing: They believe [Mike] Vrabel, currently the Titans’ coach, is the Krafts’ ‘home run’ choice to succeed Belichick,” he said via the NY Post.
Nevertheless, Volin noted Vrabel’s deal is not imminent as the coach is under contract with the Titans and revealed that the Patriots might trade for him to acquire him.
“Just because Vrabel is the home run choice doesn’t mean it will happen. Vrabel is under contract with the Titans, and the Patriots would have to trade for him, likely at least one first-round pick. The Patriots are a team that needs to use its first-rounder next year, especially if they are in range for a top quarterback.”
Vrabel became the head coach of the Titans in 2018. The team has been doing a great job under the guidance of the “defensive-minded” coach, who has ensured playoffs for the team in three of the last four seasons. However, the team is sitting in the last spot in the AFC South with a poor 3-5 record this season.
Bill Belichick teases mysterious Patriots’ future
Though the Patriots are almost set to miss the playoffs for back-to-back seasons for the first time since 1999 and 2000, they inked Belichick to a lucrative deal this year. The veteran just secured his 300th win in the league, although the victory came after a series of defeats.
During his recent press conference, the Patriots HC was asked about his connections to football franchises in Germany. The reporter asked if somebody would reach out to him for a coaching role in the country and whether he would pursue it or not. In response to the query, he disclosed that there are some interactions with Americans involved in European football while giving a cryptic hint about the team’s future.
“A lot of them are American that have transplanted up here that are involved in some version of some type of European, American football team that either have a connection with it or it’s a friend of a friend of a friend, or whatever..So, it’s pretty random. But it is interesting..It just shows it’s [a] small world.”
The 71-year-old didn’t say much about the Pats’ future plans, although he did make a suggestion later on regarding saving team equipment. His mysterious clues suggest that significant changes may be on the horizon for the franchise, and the seasoned individual is well aware of this.
What’s your take on Belichick’s recent hints? Tell us in the comments.
