By Nico Bermudez -- STAFF WRITER Could the Tom Brady-Bill Belichick romance be coming to an end? Under the Brady-Belichick era, the New England Patriots have won a total of four Super Bowls and have made it to the big game six times; they may only have a chance for one more.
After news came out that Patriots’ owner Robert Kraft chose to side with Brady over Bill Belichick on what to do with their quarterback situation, there is speculation that Belichick will leave the team after this season. Kraft traded Jimmy Garoppolo to the San Francisco 49ers while Belichick leaned towards the idea of trading Brady and looking towards a future with Garoppolo.
As a result of all this drama, there are a few winners:
The San Francisco 49ers
The Niners may have found themselves a franchise quarterback after all this. They acquired Garoppolo back in October, but did not start him until Dec. 3. When he took over as San Francisco’s starting QB, he led the team on a five-game win streak to end the season. In those five games, Garoppolo posted a 67.4 percent completion rate, 1,560 yards, and seven touchdowns. Having the opportunity to be the starting quarterback to begin next season, many have predicted the 49ers will make the playoffs.
Teams Looking for a New Head Coach
With a number of teams looking for a new head coach, if Belichick leaves the Patriots, he could potentially end up coaching another NFL team next season. According to a report by Gary Myers of the New York Daily News, Belichick has expressed interest in moving on to coach for the New York Giants. On the contrary, there are many other NFL reporters, including Adam Schefter of ESPN who do not believe Myers’ report. A couple of other teams looking for a new head coach include the Detroit Lions and Arizona Cardinals.
And now for the one loser of the situation:
The New England Patriots
First, despite reports indicating that Kraft, Belichick, and Brady stand united, it is safe to assume that is just being said because that is what the team is expected to say. Following this season, if the Patriots lose their head coach, they could potentially be losing their legacy. Many NFL fans believe most of the team’s recent success has stemmed from Belichick’s coaching abilities.
If Belichick were to leave New England, he may not be the only one to go. Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels and defensive coordinator Matt Patricia are both interviewing for head coaching vacancies around the league. If both coordinators end up being hired by any of the teams they interview for, Kraft and the New England Patriots are looking at a completely different scheme for the 2018 season – they will have to search for a new head coach, and offensive and defensive coordinator.
The one thing football fans cannot look past is how amazing it was to watch the dynasty of the Brady-Belichick Patriots. The duo will forever be remembered throughout NFL history and it is ultimately sad that an end may be imminent.