Insider discusses reported Bill Belichick-Patriots contract extension

New England Patriots insider Tom E. Curran of NBC Sports Boston offered more information about the multi-year contract extension New England head coach Bill Belichick reportedly signed this past offseason. 

"My understanding remains that this multi-year only includes 2023 and 2024," Curran explained during the latest edition of his "Patriots Talk" podcast, as shared by Patriots beat reporter Dakota Randall of NESN. "So, there’s your two years. Extension not going into the back of this decade. Additionally, when we talk about that contract, I think Bill Belichick is still very much on the same notice (team owner) Robert Kraft had him on in March. If the team is not headed in the right direction, then personal gain and personal satisfaction and statistics will be trumped by overall performance of the team."

It was rumored throughout the summer that Belichick could find himself on the hot seat if the Patriots again missed the playoffs and if quarterback Mac Jones failed to bounce back after a disappointing 2022 season. Jones struggled throughout the opening six weeks of the ongoing campaign as New England lost five of six games before he produced a stellar outing in Sunday's surprising 29-25 win over the Buffalo Bills that improved the Patriots to 2-5. 

NBC Sports' Peter King wrote for Monday's "Football Morning in America" column that he "sincerely" doubts any contract extension Belichick signed after the 2022 season would prevent Kraft from paying off that deal and going in a different direction "if the Patriots finish last in the division and do it in a desultory fashion." Later on Monday, fellow NFL insider Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk noted that "whatever the buyout might be won’t stop Kraft from making the change" if the owner chooses to do so in January. 

"So, even if there is a 2024 season on the contract, if the Patriots are not headed in the right direction, that would not preclude ownership from making that hard decision," Curran continued. "That’s what I understand to be the case right now. … Patriots are not going to be constrained, in my understanding, by any contract extension. Nor is this contract extension giving Bill any kind of (assurances) that he’s here for the long term."

One October win doesn't save any season, and OddsChecker listed the Pats as 10-point underdogs for this coming Sunday's game at the 5-2 Miami Dolphins as of Monday afternoon. If the win over Buffalo proves to be a one-off, it seems Kraft could splash the necessary cash to part ways with Belichick as soon as the Monday after Week 18.