What’s the hold up on the Belichick decision? Perillo with Felger & Mazz
On Wednesday’s Felger & Mazz program, Paul Perillo of Patriots.com joined the show to give insight on where the New England Patriots stand on a Bill Belichick decision.
Why Hasn’t Belichick Decision Been Made?
Parts of conversation abbreviated for clarity.
Felger: Are you in the building every day? Gillette Stadium.
Paul Perillo: Oh, yeah.
Felger: What’s it like in there?
Paul Perillo: It’s exactly like I’m telling you. People just sitting around waiting to find out what we’re supposed to do and how we’re supposed to react.
Do you think they’re going to keep him, or do you think he’s going? And what does it mean? You know, why is there a delay? And everybody is sort of extrapolating from every little thing.
From our perspective, it’s been fortunate, I’m sure, for you guys too. You have news dumps like the Mike Vrabel situation. To a lesser extent, the Pete Carroll stuff today. That comes up and enters the equation.
Speaking just for myself, I still feel like the Patriots will move on from Bill Belichick. I don’t have any idea as to why it has taken this long.
Felger: Robert can’t just stomach putting out a two-line statement that says the Patriots have parted ways with Bill Belichick. Period. Paragraph. No amicable, no mutual. That’s the hang-up? That would be gross if that were the case.
Paul Perillo: I don’t have the answers for you, unfortunately. I know you guys want—
Felger: —You do. But you’re not giving them to us. That’s fine.
Paul Perillo: You know me, I don’t hold it out. I don’t hold out on you. I give you what I know. Monday, when Bill spoke to us and had a couple of pointed comments, not the least of which was making sure that everybody knew, making sure everybody knew that he was under contract.
My feeling is that Bill wasn’t interested in the amicable part of a statement. Sort of making things easy. Belichick is probably thinking, “I understand you must do this, Robert.” We don’t have to be mortal enemies. But you’re going to have to pay me, or you’re going to have to do it the way that you don’t want to do it. You’re going to have to have to look like the bad guy.”
Or, you know, something along those lines. I feel like they’re hashing stuff out contractually, and I think that might be the hold-up. But your other scenario could be realistic as well. Maybe the two sides are just haggling over wording and whatnot, I don’t know.
Felger: Because it’s important to Robert. Robert’s the one that’s sensitive to that type of stuff.
Segment Audio
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Could Bill Belichick have the same fate as Pete Carroll in Seattle?
UPDATE: The Patriots and Bill Belichick are parting ways. So that’s that.
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NFL insider Jay Glazer There could be a lot of changes around the league coming soon. Let's check in with @JayGlazer's Coaching Carousel about those possible changes
📺: FOX pic.twitter.com/gf3tFCqD2q
But what if it wasn’t?
Even more of an eyebrow-raiser: what if Belichick was out as Patriots head coach, and his tenure wasn’t over?
That is a possible scenario in New England, however unlikely it may seem at the moment. But that’s exactly what just happened with Pete Carroll and the Seattle Seahawks. Shortly after it was reported that Carroll’s out as Seahawks head coach, team chair Jody Allen Statement from Jody Allen - Chair, Seattle Seahawks pic.twitter.com/RNUZvF6Vgp
FOXBORO, MA – NOVEMBER 13: Head coach Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots talks with Head coach Pete Carroll of the Seattle Seahawks before a game at Gillette Stadium on November 13, 2016 in Foxboro, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images)
You’d have to think Robert Kraft is intrigued by Carroll as a possible template for Belichick.
Kraft doesn’t want to pay Belichick to not work, let alone work for another team. He doesn’t want to be known as The Man Who Fired Bill™. And perhaps he recognizes that Belichick did get the Pats to play hard for him down the stretch, as the season had already gone from troubling to hopeless.
But how could Belichick not lose his job as head coach after a 4-13 season? Three of the last four seasons under .500 and out of the playoffs? And now, Belichick has essentially dared Kraft to pull the plug.
FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS – DECEMBER 17: New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft and Head Coach Bill Belichick look on from the sideline before the game against the Kansas City Chiefs at Gillette Stadium on December 17, 2023 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
For Belichick, it’s basically about power. Would he be willing to give up more of that to be able to stay? The money would be no worse. And if anything, he’d have more time for his family and other things away from football. If and when the Patriots reorganize, turn things around, and get back to playoff success, if that happens with Belichick deep in the background as an advisor, guess who’s going to get the credit? The chief football advisor. The one in the hoodie.
It’s important to note that Belichick and Carroll could themselves be in totally different personal situations. Carroll may have wanted to scale back his own duties, which Belichick does not seem interested in doing. Carroll also generally feels like a more amenable person for this sort of transition in the first place.
So, if this were even possible in New England, it would be on Belichick to agree to it. For the Krafts, that may be their most elegant solution possible.
FOXBOROUGH, MA – JANUARY 3, 2021: New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft (L) pats head coach Bill Belichick on the shoulder during warmups prior to the start of the game against the New York Jets at Gillette Stadium on January 3, 2021 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Kathryn Riley/Getty Images)
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Matt Dolloff is a writer and podcaster for 985TheSportsHub.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Check out all of Matt’s content.
