The New England Patriots-Bill Belichick divorce was messy, to say the least. Following the 2023 season, Boston fans got to witness the end of an era, the departure of the greatest coach they’d ever had… six Super Bowls and all. But behind the scenes, things were pretty wild.
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Belichick, who’s now off in the college ranks, was trying to call the shots on everything before he was let go. But Patriots owner Robert Kraft saw things weren’t working as is. So he stepped in, made his own moves, and the drama played out for all to see.
According to Mark Daniels, who covers the Patriots for MassLive, Kraft himself later admitted that he “fired” Belichick, then calling the hiring of the HC a “big risk” in another media appearance. But at first, we were led to believe the separation was amicable.
Then there’s the Tom Brady trade, which Daniels didn’t dive into in his report, but several other reports say Kraft wasn’t on board while Belichick was. And after that came Brady’s replacement, Mac Jones, the golden boy picked in the first round of the 2021 draft.
But Daniels says that Belichick eventually stopped talking to the quarterback altogether. Why? According to the journalist’s sources, Belichick apparently got “upset” when Kraft told him the team couldn’t retain Matt Patricia as offensive coordinator. The 2022 season had been disastrous, and the Patriots didn’t even make the playoffs. Bill O’Brien was then hired as the OC, a move Belichick didn’t agree with.
That frustration, along with the QB’s performance, reportedly led to Belichick cutting off communication with Mac Jones. Daniels added that Jones even started telling his close circle that the team had stopped coaching him.
The head coach suffered another blow: the Patriots signed Jerod Mayo to a contract naming him the coach-in-waiting. Step by step, as Belichick struggled to keep the dynasty afloat, Kraft and the front office began taking control … eventually leading to Belichick’s exit.
And now, with all these details surfacing, some fans are pointing fingers at Mac Jones himself, claiming the QB got Belichick fired, arguably the greatest NFL coach.
“Mac Jones got the greatest coach of all time fired,” they penned under a post shared by Mark Daniels.
“Why are there still BB protectors out there. Have u not seen over the past few years that he is in it for himself?” another chimed in.
Why are there still BB protectors out there. Have u not seen over the past few years that he is in it for himself?
— Joe (@GrenierJoe) September 6, 2025
But most X users reacting to Daniels’ report seemed to side with Belichick. Many argued the former head coach was in the right, pointing to Bill O’Brien’s firing, Mac Jones’ struggles and eventual benching, and Jerod Mayo stepping in as the head coach.
BoB’s offense wasn’t better
Mayo replaced him
Mac Jones isn’t good3/3 for Belichick, everything he thought was true in fact was true
— Brycen (@Brycen2047) September 6, 2025
Some users also joked that the Krafts themselves were shaping how this report and series of events were portrayed, effectively putting Belichick in the hot seat.
We’re not sure about the last take.
While Belichick has gone so far as to snub Patriots scouts from attending UNC practices, not mention Kraft once in his 304-page book, and even take a jab at the ownership while discussing his transition to college coaching, Kraft is moving forward with a statue of the coach right next to Tom Brady’s outside Gillette Stadium. And no matter what anyone says, that can’t be dismissed as mere pettiness.
