Bob Stoops on Bill Belichick, Patriots: 'I could kinda see the breakup'

After 24 seasons as the head coach of the New England Patriots, Bill Belichick and the franchise went their separate ways in a move that shook the NFL. It’s also a move that former Oklahoma Sooners head coach Bob Stoops says he saw coming.

During an episode of Sellout Crowd, while discussing Belichick, Stoops explained that they had done everything they could do together and the writing was on the wall that his tenure was coming to an end there.

“You know, I could kind of see the breakup there,” Stoops said. “24 years, you know what, they’ve done it. They’ve done it at the highest level, and now is a time for everybody to maybe let’s do something different.”

Bill Belichick’s first season as the head coach of the Patriots came in 2000. His second season was a Super Bowl season that saw Tom Brady emerge as the starting quarterback. That was the start of a dynasty run, going to nine Super Bowls and winning six all while cementing his legacy as one of the best coaches in the NFL’s history.

However, there has been a notable decline in New England over the past few seasons, only going to the playoffs once in the four years since Brady left. That culminated in a 4-13 record in his final season.

After the season ended, Bill Belichick and owner Robert Kraft met and decided to move on.

“Well, the last three years have been pretty tough,” Kraft explained. “Our family is the custodian of this asset: the New England Patriots. We know how important it is to the psyche of the community and what’s gone on here the last three, four years isn’t what we want. We have a responsibility to do what we can to fix it to the best of our ability.”

To replace Bill Belichick, the Patriots hired Jerod Mayo, who both played and coached under Belichick in New England.

Matt Ryan weighs in on Atlanta’s potential interest in Bill Belichick

Bill Belichick is expected to take a new NFL job now that he and the Patriots went their separate ways. One of the most commonly rumored options has been the Atlanta Falcons. That, as legendary quarterback Matt Ryan explained, would be an interesting move.

“Here’s the thing, there’s a lot of baggage that comes with that because of the Super Bowl. It’s an awkward thing. But if you look at the organization, the owner, Arthur Blank, getting older and anxious to win right now. And you look at the roster… they’re built to win right now. The defense plays good football, they’ve got an excellent offensive line, and good skill positions, but they’ve got to figure out the quarterback,” Ryan said.

“I think Bill Belichick makes sense if they get a veteran guy. If you’re drafting young, then you go with a younger coach, someone who’s going to be there longer. But if you’re getting a veteran guy, then I think he makes sense in Atlanta.”