Did you feel that under your feet? It was the rumble of the earth. And surprisingly enough, it’s not Massachusetts’ first earthquake of 2023, although it’s a shock that Gillette Stadium itself didn’t crumble under the weight of this event…

Bill Belichick and Robert Kraft had a meeting.

Take a moment to gather yourself, if you need to, before continuing on. It’s understandably distressing to hear that the owner and head coach of a professional football team held a meeting after the end of the season. But it apparently did happen, according to Tom E. Curran at NBC Sports Boston.

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  Nov 9, 2020; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft (right) looks on behind head coach Bill Belichick before the game against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

  Fortunately, the Great Foxboro Fault appears to be intact. No quakes. No sinkholes.

  Curran treated the general topic with the same level of flippant disdain that it deserves (“THE MEETING”). The real question is what would come of the meeting, not the fact they were meeting in the first place. Curran reports that there is “no impasse” between the owner and head coach, and that Belichick is on to 2023 while “acknowledging 2022 wasn’t ideal and being amenable to changes.”

  No one will be more disappointed than the likes of Seth Wickersham, sports radio, and anyone else who feeds off drama and histrionics. Michael Felger himself sounded a tad let down by the lack of chair-throwing during 98.5 The Sports Hub’s Felger and Mazz on Wednesday.

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• But it does sound like the meeting ended with the result that many disgruntled and disillusioned Patriots followers wanted. Per Curran, “offensive coaching reassignments are going to happen and several offensive coaches are under consideration for the Patriots’ 2023 staff.” Curran also says his understanding is Belichick didn’t need to be persuaded to agree to make said changes.

  So that famous Belichick stubbornness doesn’t appear to have reared its head here. It’s not like Belichick wants to go 8-9 and his offense to finish bottom-10 in key stats. He knows the offensive coaching needs to be better, regardless. But it’s good that he knows that he needs actual offensive coaches.

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  LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – DECEMBER 18: Senior football advisor and offensive line coach Matt Patricia (L) and head coach Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots walk onto the field for a game against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium on December 18, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Raiders defeated the Patriots 30-24. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

• As for the aforementioned reassignments, the obvious candidates for that are Matt Patricia and Joe Judge, whose first season running an offense decidedly went poorly. Moving Patricia back to defense makes the most sense for him, if he’s not simply kept in his “senior football advisor” role while others take over on offense.

  Judge, meanwhile, would make sense to move back to special teams as the Patriots’ former coordinator in that spot. But Cam Achord remains in that post as of this writing on Wednesday.

  The Patriots may also have to worry about losing tight ends coach Nick Caley, who is reportedly a candidate to become the new offensive coordinator of the Houston Texans if they hire Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon, according to ESPN’s Dan Graziano.

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  LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – DECEMBER 18: Coach Matt Patricia
  and Mac Jones #10 of the New England Patriots react during the first half against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium on December 18, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Getty Images)

• So! Despite the idea that it would be better for #content if Belichick and Kraft donned some old-timey boxing gloves and had themselves a good old-fashioned donnybrook right in the owner’s office at Gillette Stadium … that did not take place. But if you wanted changes on the Patriots’ offensive coaching staff, you’re going to get your way.

  All is well? Blue skies ahead? We’ll see. But it’s good news for the Patriots that Belichick is accepting the failures of 2022 and aiming to fix it for 2023.

  Click here for complete New England coverage at 985TheSportsHub.com.

• 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. Have a news tip, question, or comment for Matt? Yell at him on Twitter @mattdolloff and follow him on Instagram @realmattdolloff. Check out all of Matt’s content here.

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