Even after a surprising win by the Patriots, things don’t seem to be calming down in New England any time soon.
Speculation has run rampant about Bill Belichick’s future with the Pats amid what has been an ugly season in Foxborough.
It seems that owner Robert Kraft has already determined Belichick’s fate and is planning to part ways with the longtime head coach at the end of the season, according to Tom Curran of NBC Sports Boston.
Curran detailed the development during an appearance on the “Arbella Early Edition” program on NBC Sports Boston.
“When they came out of [the 10-6 loss to the Colts on Nov. 12 in] Germany, conversations I had that week made it very clear that a decision was made,” Curran said. “They were going to play out the string, and at the end of the year, there would be a parting of the ways for a variety of reasons.”
An in-season firing remains unlikely, according to Curran, and since Belichick has one more year left on his contract, the Patriots could look to trade him if another team is intrigued.
However, by the sounds of it, Belichick’s time in New England appears to be coming to an end.
The Patriots are coming off a 21-18 win over the Steelers in which Bailey Zappe completed 19 of his 28 passes for 240 yards and three touchdowns.
The Pats offense had its best showing since Week 7 in the win as well, but the victory was too little too late to change Kraft’s mind.
“It had gone too far,” Curran explained. “The Germany game. The Commanders game. The Saints game. All huge, marquee games. And then there was the Chargers game after that.
“Just because they won last week in Pittsburgh in primetime, I don’t think it quells anything.”
The Patriots have four games left in the season, which includes a showdown with the Chiefs this week and a Week 18 game against the Jets at Gillette Stadium.
At 3-10, New England is dead last in the AFC East and has one of the worst records in the NFL this season.
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