The Patriots' worst season under head coach Bill Belichick has come to a close with a loss to the Jets, but is this the last we'll see of the future Hall of Famer in New England?
That question remains unanswered as "Black Monday" and a pivotal offseason approaches.
In what could have been Belichick's final game as a head coach at Gillette Stadium, the Patriots had their 15-game win streak against New York snapped in a 17-3 defeat. The loss dropped New England to 4-13 for the season — only its fourth losing season in Belichick's 24-year tenure but its third in the past four years.
The Patriots' recent shortcomings have put Belichick on the hot seat as the franchise's head coach and general manager. Rumors have been swirling about his future for weeks, but his historically impassive manner has prevented anyone from getting a true read on the situation.
In case Week 18 was his curtain call, the Fox broadcast followed Belichick's every move as he departed the snow-covered field in Foxborough. Belichick made his way to midfield for postgame handshakes, sharing a brief moment with Jets head coach Robert Saleh. He crossed paths with star quarterback Aaron Rodgers for one last conversation before walking off to the tunnel with cameras trailing him step-for-step.
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What did Belichick have to say in his postgame press conference following the Patriots' season finale? The Sporting News dives into his comments below.
What did Bill Belichick say in his Week 18 postgame press conference?
Belichick began his postgame presser with an opening statement before saying he would only be answering questions about the loss to the Jets.
"It's a disappointing year for all of us — players, coaches, staff, the entire organization. Not anything that any of us are in any way content with but it is what it is," Belichick began his statement.
"... As far as the future goes, I'll sit down with Robert [Kraft] as I do every year at the end of the season and we'll talk about things as we always do. I'm sure that will happen. But that's really about all I have to say about that right now because there's nothing else to talk about."
The media poked and prodded with questions surrounding Belichick's future, but in his typical tight-lipped manner, he answered each inquiry with a similar version of the same answer: "I just finished the game here with the Jets. Put everything I had into it and I'm disappointed in the results."
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When asked specifically about the challenges he faced this season and if it took "any of the wind out of his sails as far as the effort it takes to coach," he made it clear he still enjoys the process.
"No. I enjoy coaching," Belichick said. " ... I like coaching the team, preparing the team, game planning, coaching on Sundays. But the results weren't good and none of us were happy with those."
"As far as the future goes, I'll sit down with Robert as I do every year... we'll talk about things"
— NBC Sports Boston's Patriots Coverage (@NBCSPatriots) January 7, 2024
Bill Belichick did not address any questions about his future with the team, but did say he still enjoys coaching pic.twitter.com/2ATUJW3CtJ
Belichick is reportedly under contract with the Patriots through the upcoming 2024 season, but there is still a major decision that looms large over what's next for the 71-year-old.
New England will have the third overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, but the front office could elect to hit the refresh button as it looks to turn to a new chapter in the franchise's history.
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NESN's Zack Cox reported after the game that Belichick will hold his end-of-season news conference over Zoom on Monday morning at 7:30 a.m. ET.
That will likely be before he has a chance to have his season-ending sit-down with Patriots CEO Kraft, but it will be the next opportunity to hear Belichick address questions about his future in New England.
