When an NFL season concludes with a team not making the playoffs, there is often speculation about the future of a franchise, which often starts with the coaching staff.
If there was any doubt, New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick wanted to clear up where he stood heading into the offseason.
#Patriots coach Bill Belichick tells reporters that he'll be back for another season in 2023 and, "the process will start today." He'll meet with owner Robert Kraft like every year, coaches and players. "It'll be a comprehensive course of action."
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 9, 2023
Belichick has been one of the most stable and reliable coaches in the NFL.
With a record of 8-9, the Patriots had just their second losing season in the past 20 years.
Belichick has a great track record and has already announced that he will be coming back to coach the team in 2023.
The Patriots will certainly need to clean up their act if they want any chances of making the playoffs next season, which begins at the quarterback position.
Even though the offseason is just beginning for them, Belichick has been non-committal on the future of Mac Jones.
Will the Patriots pursue another young quarterback in the draft this season, or will they go after a free-agent veteran in the offseason?
Something drastic has to change for this team.
The Patriots are in the AFC East, which contains the Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, and New York Jets, with two of those teams making the playoffs this season.
Being that the Bills and Dolphins are solid at the quarterback position and look to be playoff teams for the foreseeable future, at this point, the Patriots are playing catch-up.
Some teams take a few years to rebuild and reload, but that doesn’t seem like the Patriots’ brand.
NEXT: Report: A Former Coordinator Could Reunite With Bill Belichick