New England Patriots refute report team will fire Bill Belichick after 2023 season

The New England Patriots (3-10) refuted a report Tuesday that the team plans to fire head coach Bill Belichick at the conclusion of the 2023 season.

Tom Curran of NBC Sports Boston reported that the decision had already been made following New England’s 10-6 Week 10 defeat to the Indianapolis Colts (7-6) in Frankfurt, Germany.

“When they came out of Germany, conversations I had that week made it very clear that a decision was made. 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,” Curran said Monday.

The Patriots vehemently denied Curran’s report in a statement obtained by Justin Trudell.

“Time will show that these reports are false, we are disappointed in Toms’ decision to ‘leak’ this story,” the statement read.

Patriots, Bill Belichick in decline following departure of Tom Brady

Belichick, 71, is in his 24th season with the Patriots. A six-time Super Bowl champion in New England, Belichick and the Patriots have fallen under hard times following the departure of Tom Brady in 2020. Belichick has gone 28-35 without Brady over the past three-plus seasons with just one playoff appearance (2021). The Patriots currently own the second overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.

Despite the recent struggles, Belichick reportedly inked a lucrative, multiyear contract extension with the Patriots this past offseason.

“You don’t fire Bill Belichick during the season. It’s just not gonna happen,” Curran added in his report. “Additionally, though, he’s an asset. He’s under contract for another year, which we reported after NFL Media reported there was a long-term extension in place that would keep Bill locked up long-term. It’s only through next year. So that would not be an impediment to them changing course, and it had gone too far.

“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 prime time, I don’t think it quells anything.”