Jan 11, 2024; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots former head coach Bill Belichick (right) embraces Patriots owner Robert Kraft (left) during a press conference at Gillette Stadium to announce Belichick's exit from the team. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images Eric Canha-Imagn Images

Patriots Owner Hints At Potential Bill Belichick Statue

Originally posted on New England Patriots on SI
By Ethan Hurwitz | Last updated Sep 4, 2025 11:00 AM ET

After the rousing success of the Tom Brady outside Gillette Stadium, New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft might be ready to start planning for another bronze legend on the property.

In an interview with WBZ-TV's Dan Roche, Kraft was asked about the possibility that the legendary head coach — the one who won the second-most games in NFL history and led the Patriots to six Super Bowlt titles — would ever receive a lifelike statue at Gillette.

Kraft's answer? He plans to.

"When that great 20-year era ended, it was always my intention to commission a statue for both Tommy and Bill when their respective careers were over, playing and coaching," Kraft said. "When Bill's coaching career ends, we look forward to sitting down with him and having a statue made to be right next to Tommy."

There was debates among Patriots fans if Belichick would be getting a statue, given the shaky history that has gone on since his split from the team following the 2023 season. In October of that year, Kraft went on the record to say that he had fired the head coach — despite initial reports indicating that it was a "mutual parting of ways." It also didn't help mend any friction when "The Dynasty" documentary portrayed Belichick in a fairly negative light during his tenure in New England.

Since taking the head coaching job at UNC-Chapel Hill, Belichick hasn't strayed away from trading more punches.

"There's no owner, there's no owner's son, there's no cap, everything that goes with the marketing and everything else, which I'm all for that," Belichick told The Boston Globe's Ben Volin. "But it's way less of what it was at that level. Generic NFL teams, you have the owner, president, general manager, personnel director, college director, pro director, cap guy, some other consultant, then head coach.

With the idea of a statue in the future, a possible mending between the two franchise icons is something that might loom. After all, Kraft personally inducted former head coach Bill Parcells into the Patriots Hall of Fame this past offseason, and the distaste for the two of them was very well-documented.

The Patriots, should they erect a Belichick statue, wouldn't be the first team in the NFL to have a head coach-player duo overlooking their stadium. In Green Bay, the Packers have two statues — one of former head coach Vince Lombardi, and one of former halfback Curly Lambeau — outside the front gate. A similar approach to Belichick's future statue could draw inspiration from the Packers.

This article first appeared on New England Patriots on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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