It's a new era in Foxborough.
That was true when Tom Brady left the Patriots in 2020, but 2024 brought about a much different kind of change with legendary coach Bill Belichick ousted after 24 years.
There's no questioning the success New England has under Belichick, winning six Super Bowls and rattling off 17 consecutive seasons of double-digit wins. The path forward is much less certain, with the Patriots pinning their hopes on a much younger head coach and rookie QB Drake Maye to revive the franchise in the years to come.
Here's a look at why owner Robert Kraft decided it was time to move on from Belichick and start fresh after more than two decades.
Why did the Patriots fire Bill Belichick?
The Patriots didn't label Belichick's exit as a firing, but Kraft strongly indicated in the press conference announcing the move that he made the final decision.
"This is a results business," Kraft said, explaining that "what's gone on here the last three, four years isn't what we want.
What went on the last 3-4 years was plenty of losing. While there were highlights, including a 10-win season and playoff appearance in Mac Jones' rookie campaign, the Patriots suffered three losing seasons in four years and saw their offense sharply decline.
The Patriots went a dismal 4-13 in 2023, their worst record in 31 years, behind a sluggish offense that finished last in the NFL in points per game at 13.9.
The writing was on the wall for Belichick throughout the season. Between preseason reports indicating there was real pressure on the legendary coach to perform in order to keep his job and an in-season report that Kraft had already made a decision, the move was hardly a surprise when it was announced four days after the end of the season.
Results were the driving factor behind the Patriots' decision to part ways with Belichick, but that's not necessarily an indictment of his coaching ability. His hard-nosed methods worked during the Brady era, and they simply weren't as effective with the current group in New England.
Belichick was in the unique position of only having to blame himself for the Patriots' personnel failures. He was New England's head of football operations, and the franchise has been set back by some fruitless drafts in recent years.
Kraft admitted in January that he considered removing Belichick's front office duties after so long and keeping him as just a head coach, but he decided taking power away and giving it to someone else would "set up confusion" and simply wouldn't work.
The final decision was to part ways altogether, a decision that Kraft and Belichick both labeled as "mutual" but evidently came from the top.
Who is the Patriots' new coach?
Jerod Mayo was named the Patriots' head coach the day after the team parted ways with Belichick.
While Mayo is a deviation from Belichick's hard-nosed mentality, he doesn't represent a completely different direction from the future Hall of Famer, either. Mayo played eight seasons under Belichick and coached under him for five more as the Patriots' inside linebackers coach and eventually the top defensive assistant.
Mayo won his head coaching debut with the Patriots, guiding New England to an upset of the Bengals in Week 1 before taking an overtime loss to the Seahawks in Week 2. The Patriots have overachieved compared to their low expectations entering the season, and any kind of improvement on last season's win total could make 2024 a success in the eyes of fans.
Where is Bill Belichick now?
Kraft indicated at his January press conference announcing the move that it would be uncomfortable to see Belichick in another team's hoodie on the sideline, but the 72-year-old didn't land a head coaching job in the offseason.
Belichick interviewed for the Falcons' job, reportedly impressing in his first conversion with owner Arthur Blank, but concerns about handing the legendary coach too much power turned Atlanta in a different direction. The Falcons ultimately hired Raheem Morris.
That doesn't necessarily mean Belichick's coaching career is over. He reportedly hasn't shut the door on coaching again, and many have speculated that the Eagles and Cowboys could be attractive destinations for him.
Eagles coach Nick Sirianni is facing a likely make-or-break year, while Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy only narrowly survived an early playoff exit last season and is on the hot seat in 2024.
In the meantime, Belichick is keeping himself busy. He joined The CW Network as an analyst on "Inside the NFL" and makes weekly appearances on "The Pat McAfee Show." Belichick joined McAfee's NFL Draft broadcast in April and is also a regular on the "Monday Night Football" Manningcast this season.
Belichick also recently joined Instagram, where he says he plans to share his thoughts "at a moment's notice."
A bristling personality, at least publicly, when he coached the Patriots, Belichick has shown his softer side while doing the media circuit since his ouster in January. A return to coaching could quickly bring the old Belichick back.
