NFL
BY Steve Atkinson
There’s been a ton of digging and speculation since the report of Bill Belichick getting a contract extension this past offseason. The contract is two years and ends after the 2024 season. Greg Bedard made a great point on Felger and Mazz this week when he said Kraft gave Belichick the contract, he wouldn’t give Brady. Two years and $25 million. Why would Robert Kraft give Bill Belichick an extension after what happened last season? Does the record mean that much to Kraft? Was the letter to season ticket holders a PR stunt to please the fans? Does the contract line up with Jerod Mayo’s contract so he can become the head coach in 2025? All could be true.
Robert Kraft Didn’t Give Brady The Contract He Gave Belichick
Tom Brady wanted 2 years and $25 million after the 2019 season. Belichick said no and Kraft agreed. Brady went on to win the Super Bowl and Belichick has been under .500 since 2020. Kraft says that they will be more collaborative at the draft and select Mac Jones. Bill Belichick sabotages Mac’s development in 2022 with no talent while Patricia and Judge are coaching offense. Kraft released a statement to season ticket holders in January that they will be hiring an offensive coordinator and extending Jerod Mayo. What Kraft didn’t mention he was also extending Belichick as well.
If that became public knowledge back then it wouldn’t have gone over too well. It isn’t going over well now that it came out. The Patriots are still a bad team in 2023 even with a win last week against the Bills. Belichick gave in to Kraft and got Bill O’Brien but did nothing surrounding Mac Jones in the draft The Patriots drafted defense in the first three rounds while selecting a backup center in the fourth round. They also drafted a kicker in the fourth round. Not sure how that deserves an extension.
The best receiver on the field against the Bills was Demario Douglas. Not JuJu Smith-Schuster who didn’t cause of injury or DeVante Parker who was absent much of the game after his comments last week. The two receivers were Demario Douglas and Kendrick Bourne. Both are number three at best. How does that deserve an extension? All these quarterbacks have a number one receiver and good blocking. The Patriots don’t because Belichick doesn’t see offense as the priority and is more focused on defense and special teams. If the Patriots go on a mini run and finish with 8 wins would Kraft extend Belichick past 2024? I hope not. It would prove more than what Kraft says publicly and behind closed doors are two different things.
It’s clear Kraft gave the deal to the wrong person. The two-year deal for $25 million should’ve gone to Brady over Belichick. They would probably have another Super Bowl and Belichick probably would’ve coached the Giants or something and be close to .500. What he is now without Brady. Looking back does Kraft think he should’ve given Brady the contract? Probably, and deep down he wants Belichick to break the Don Shula wins record even though publicly he said otherwise.
