Insider reveals key detail of Bill Belichick's contract extension
With whispers that New England Patriots head coach/general manager Bill Belichick might be on the hot seat, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport quieted the noise that the Pats might move on from the 71-year-old in the offseason last week when he reported Belichick signed a multiyear contract extension last year.
During an appearance on WEEI’s “The Greg Hill Show” on Wednesday, however, Rapoport revealed a key detail of Belichick’s new deal that many had been wondering about. Belichick has not been asked to give up full control over personnel decisions.
“Now, Bill obviously has significant say — final say,” Rapoport said. “I have not heard of him giving up final say, if that’s what you’re wondering. I have not heard that this contract forces him or allows him to give up final say. If that is the case, that would be some news to me. But it’s not impossible.”
Many media pundits had spent the last few weeks debating if Belichick should relinquish his GM powers to focus solely on his head-coaching duties, citing the state of New England’s current roster and his recent lack of success at drafting top-tier talent. (He’s drafted just three Pro Bowlers since 2013.)
Rapoport stated that Belichick certainly gets input from those in the Pats front office, including director of player personnel Matt Groh and director of scouting Eliot Wolf, but all player personnel decisions are his, and his alone, to make.
More must-reads: