One of sports’ most iconic coaching tenures is over.
One of sports’ most iconic coaching tenures is over.
The Patriots and Bill Belichick will part ways on Thursday, ESPN.com reported.
Rumors had swirled around Belichick’s future all season as the Patriots finished with a 4-13 record and missed the playoffs for the third time in four seasons.
He’s enjoyed little success without Tom Brady, and is now without a job.
Belichick, widely regarded as one of, if not the best coach of all time, led the Patriots for 24 years, famously winning six Super Bowls with the team.
He owned a 267-121 overall record with the Patriots.
The 71-year-old Belichick does not appear ready to retire, and needs just 15 more wins to match Don Shula’s all-time record of most wins by a head coach in NFL history.
Patriots inside linebackers coach Jerod Mayo and former Titans coach Mike Vrabel are among the favorites to replace him.
Others with prior ties to the Patriots, including Brian Flores and Josh McDaniels, will be in the mix as well, according to NFL Network.
Belichick initially joined the Patriots as an assistant head coach and defensive backs coach in 1996 under Bill Parcells before then serving as the assistant head coach and defensive coordinator under Parcells again with the Jets for the next three seasons.
Parcells stepped down as Jets coach after the 1999 season and had arranged for Belichick to take his place.
