Insider reveals why Patriots would move on from Bill Belichick

Boston Globe NFL senior writer Ben Volin sounds convinced New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft could move on from legendary head coach Bill Belichick this coming winter. 

"Making the playoffs will make his life a lot easier," Volin said about Belichick during an appearance on "The Herd with Colin Cowherd" program, per Adam London of NESN. "If they have a losing record again, if (quarterback) Mac Jones has another sideways season and the offense isn’t better, the team is boring again, I definitely think Belichick is on the hot seat and there’s a chance he doesn’t come back next year. Again, I think it would have to be a disastrous kind of season, but 7-10 and Mac is screaming at the coaches again — I definitely think that could happen." 

Volin recently reported that "Belichick’s friends have privately said they are worried that he is on the hot seat in 2023," in part because of the coach's supposed rocky relationship with Jones, coupled with the fact that the 2021 first-round signal-caller is "in pretty tight with the Krafts." Earlier this week, NBC Sports Boston's Tom E. Curran echoed Volin's "hot seat" take. 

While speaking with Cowherd, Volin noted that decisions such as going with Cam Newton at quarterback for the 2020 campaign following the departure of Tom Brady, along with forcing Jones to work under assistant coaches Matt Patricia and Joe Judge last season, all reflect poorly on Belichick. 

"They’re one of the least-sexy teams in the NFL right now," Volin added about the Patriots. "If it’s another season like that — five years without a playoff win for the Patriots — I definitely think Belichick’s gonna be on the hot seat." 

The Patriots have missed the playoffs twice since Brady signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in March 2020, having last won a postseason game when the future Hall of Famer guided New England to a Super Bowl LIII victory over the Los Angeles Rams in February 2019. As hard as it is to believe, it seems Belichick will find himself coaching for his job this fall and ahead of his 72nd birthday, which he will celebrate in April 2024.