Felger & Mazz: Was Belichick’s release really a mutual decision?
After 24 years in New England, Bill Belichick is OUT as the head coach of the Patriots. On Thursday’s Felger & Mazz program, the guys react to Robert Kraft’s 2 p.m. press conference addressing the Belichick news.
Kraft Worried About How He’s Perceived?
Parts of conversation abbreviated for clarity.
Mazz: I think most of this stuff is a mirage. Okay. With the way the world works—you know this as well as I—perception is reality. So, years from now, if the word of mouth doesn’t get passed down and someone goes and looks it up, you know what they’re going to see? The picture of the handshake between Robert Kraft and Bill Belichick. They made it a Kumbaya come-to-Jesus moment. Everything was all nice.
Jim Murray: Well, it’s also important for it to exist so they can go back and play that clip or show those photos if he goes and wins everywhere. He has this with Brady now. Brady finally returned and said, “I’m always a Patriot.”.
But if Bill goes to a ready-made team and wins with the Cowboys next year, okay. That would suck to see. But, hey, it was a mutual parting, and he’s forever a Patriot.
Felger: It’s obviously important to Robert that he had the morning, and they had what happened at noon.
Those with brains or who can think independently know this is all bunk. It’s fugazi. But it’s important to Robert. And so, we got put through that.
I mean, I’ve been saying this for a while, Bill Belichick deserves to have nice things said about him on the way out the door, and he deserves to be celebrated. I really do feel that way.
But, when I get it shoved down my throat in the manner that it was this morning, my natural inclination is to say well, “Wait a minute now.” I just can’t take it because of the way that I’m wired. I just can’t take the bull crap.
I would naturally want to say good things and celebrate Bill on the way out the door. But what you did to me this morning drives me to the other side of it. Now I’ve got to call you all a bunch of B.S. artists and call out all your bull crap. If you just played it straight, maybe I’d feel different. I just can’t get swept up in the crap that you’re asking me to get swept up in.
Segment Audio
Ryan Beaton is a producer for 985thesportshub.com. You can follow Ryan at @ry_beaton on Twitter.
Listen to Felger and Mazz from 2-6 every Monday-Friday on 98.5 The Sports Hub, with hosts Mike Felger, Tony “Mazz” Massarotti, and Jim Murray “Big Jim”. You can listen live in the Sports Hub App and subscribe to their podcasts here. Follow @FelgerAndMazz on Twitter to keep up with the show!
'Gratitude' a theme as Bill Belichick and Robert Kraft announce parting of ways
Belichick started off with a joke
Jan 11, 2024; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots former head coach Bill Belichick holds a press conference at Gillette Stadium to announce his exit from the team. Credit: Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports
“Morning. I haven’t seen as many cameras since we signed [Tim] Tebow,” Belichick said, making a joke off the top referencing the media coverage the team got after signing college football superstar quarterback Tim Tebow in training camp in 2013. Tebow ended up being the only player Belichick mentioned by name.
Belichick formally announces his departure, thanks Robert Kraft
FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS – JANUARY 11: Head coach Bill Belichick (L) of the New England Patriots speaks to the media as owner Robert Kraft (R) looks on during a press conference at Gillette Stadium on January 11, 2024 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. Belichick announced he is stepping down as head coach after 24 seasons with the team. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
Belichick truly started off thanking owner Robert Kraft, reflecting on the full ride the3y went on over the last 24 years.
“Robert and I, after a series of discussions, have mutually agreed to part ways. For me, this is a day of gratitude and celebration. Start with Robert and his family. So much thanks for the opportunity to to be the head coach here for 24 years. It’s amazing opportunity. Received tremendous support. We had a vision of building and winner, building a championship football team here that’s exceeded my wildest dreams and expectations – the amount of success that we were able to achieve together through a lot of hard work and the contributions of so many people. So, I’m very proud of that. I’ll always have those great memories, I’ll carry those with me the rest of my life.”
Belichick thanks Patriots staff
FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS – JANUARY 11: Head coach Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots speaks to the media during a press conference at Gillette Stadium on January 11, 2024 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. Belichick announced he is stepping down as head coach after 24 seasons with the team. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
Up next Belichick thanked all of the staffers he worked with, going beyond the coaching staff and touching on a number of different departments at Gillette Stadium.
“Of course, after Robert, thanks to assistant coaches. I’ve had so many great coaches here. They’ve made my job so much easier. It’s a long list, but, the amount of work, preparation, and diligence that they do every one of them – and I say this about the players and the coaches, regardless of how long they were here, how many years they were here, how many years they coach or what the position was – it was a great team effort and everybody put everything they had into it. And that’s why we’re successful. So, to the coaches, the support staff – it’s an amazing staff here that supported me in every way, all the scouting and all the football support people from equipment, training, security, video operations, so forth right down the line, dining room, I mean, it’s all it’s all first class. It’s all extremely good. And special thanks to Berj [Najarian, Belichick’s director of football/head coach administration] and Nancy [Meier, director of scouting administration], they’ve been here since day one, and, made my life a lot easier. Or I’ve made their’s a lot harder, however you want to look at it. Big shout out to them.”
Belichick thanks his players
FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS – JANUARY 11: Head coach Bill Belichick (L) of the New England Patriots speaks to the media as owner Robert Kraft (R) looks on during a press conference at Gillette Stadium on January 11, 2024 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. Belichick announced he is stepping down as head coach after 24 seasons with the team. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
In thanking his players Belichick focused on the big picture rather than naming individuals. This made sense given he didn’t have much time to talk, and starting to name individuals would have brought focus to those he left out.
“Of course, a great deal of thanks and appreciation to the players. Players win games in the NFL, and I’ve been very, very fortunate to coach some of the greatest players that have ever played. Some of the greatest players that have ever played for the Patriots, some of them are in the Hall of Fame, and many more are going. Again, regardless of how long the players were or weren’t here, what their role was, or how many games they played, or even if they didn’t win championships, I respect the way the players come to work here on a daily basis. All of them, and I have coached well over 1,000. Their ability to work, prepare, train in the weight room, train their bodies, rehearse over and over again, and do things right to be successful to win. I have so much respect for all the players, and certainly we’ve had many that have been here for a long time and had great contributions. Too many to name at this time, but a great thanks to the players.”
Belichick thanks the media
Jan 11, 2024; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots former head coach Bill Belichick holds a press conference at Gillette Stadium to announce his exit from the team. Credit: Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports
Yes, Bill Belichick really did thank the media for their coverage of him during his time in New England.
“To the media, I don’t know that anybody’s gotten more coverage than I have, or we have, over the past 24 years. I give you guys a lot of respect for what you do. You’re our voice to the fans. Even though we don’t always see eye-to-eye all of the time – most of the time, but not all of the time – I do respect what you do.”
Belichick thanks the fans
Jan 11, 2024; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots former head coach Bill Belichick holds a press conference at Gillette Stadium to announce his exit from the team. Credit: Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports
Belichick saved Patriots fans for last. It was at this part that he began sounding choked up a bit.
“Finally, to the fans. The fans here are amazing. I have so many memories of the fans – the send-offs, the parades, the Sundays, whatever the situations are. The letters of support, seeing the fans away from here, at a gas station, at a grocery store, or wherever you bump into them – our Patriot fans here, not just in New England, but they extend nationally and even internationally as I’ve traveled. It’s amazing how far the arm reaches. We saw that this year in Germany. So appreciative of the fans for all the support they’ve given me, my family and this football team. It’s with so many fond memories and thoughts that I think about the Patriots.”
Belichick wraps up with brief mention of his future
FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS – JANUARY 11: Head coach Bill Belichick (R) of the New England Patriots and owner Robert Kraft (L) walk off the stage after a press conference at Gillette Stadium on January 11, 2024 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. Belichick announced he is stepping down as head coach after 24 seasons with the team. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
Belichick closed with a line that sounded similar to one Tom Brady delivered when he returned to Gillette Stadium back in September, before briefly touching on his future.
“I will always be a Patriot. I look forward to coming back here. But, at this time, we’re going to move on. I look forward, am excited for the future. But, I am always very appreciative of the opportunity here, the support here, and Robert, what you’ve done for me.”
Kraft reflects on time with Belichick
FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS – JANUARY 11: Owner Robert Kraft (L) speaks to the media as head coach Bill Belichick (R) of the New England Patriots looks on during a press conference at Gillette Stadium on January 11, 2024 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. Belichick announced he is stepping down as head coach after 24 seasons with the team. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
Kraft will take questions from the reporters later in the day, so he didn’t spend much time on the future. Rather, he reflected on his time with Belichick.
“Good afternoon everyone, and as Bill mentioned, yesterday, we met and mutually agreed to part ways amicably. Like a good marriage, a successful head coach/owner relationship requires a lot of hard work. and I’m very proud that our partnership lasted for 24 years. I don’t think in the NFL, there’s been any other partnership that lasted longer and has been as productive as ours. I trusted my instincts to bring Bill back to New England in 2000 after immediately regretting not hiring him after working with him together in 1996. When I did hire him, I was still making the transition from the fan who bought season tickets in 71’, sitting on the metal benches in the old Foxboro Stadium with my boys, to try to become an experienced owner. Bill has taught me a lot over those years, and we had high expectations for what we could achieve together. I think we were the only ones who had those expectations, and I think it’s safe to say we exceeded them – thanks to you [Bill Belichick]. It’s hard to put into words, really, when I think back to sitting on those metal benches, that we would have an opportunity to go to 10 Super Bowls together and bring six Lombardi trophies home to Massachusetts.”
Kraft reflects on Belichick as a Patriots fan
Jan 11, 2024; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft (left) and Patriots former head coach Bill Belichick (right) and hold a press conference at Gillette Stadium to announce Belichick’s exit from the team. Credit: Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports
To close out the media availability, Kraft spoke about how he viewed Belichick’s tenure in New England not as a co-worker, but as a lifelong Patriots fan.
“At heart, I will always be a sentimental sports fan. So, this is an emotional day for me. Some of my happiest and most memorable moments were celebrated with my family during Bill’s tenure here. I recognize that it also is a very emotional day for many of our fans, as it represents the end of an era, one that hopefully will always be celebrated in this region. The man standing to my left brought the leadership and coaching skills that were needed to make the type of unprecedented success that we have had possible. Coach Belichick will forever be celebrated as a legendary sports icon here in New England and I believe go in as a Pro Football Hall of Famer on the first ballot. Why? Because he is the greatest coach of all time, which makes this decision to part ways so hard. But, this is a move that we mutually agreed that is needed at this time. What Bill Belichick accomplished with us, in my opinion, will never be replicated. The fact that it was done in the salary cap and free agency era makes it even more extraordinary. I thank Coach Bill for his hard work and dedication. It will be difficult to see him in a cutoff hoodie on the sideline, but I will always wish him continued success, except when he’s playing our beloved Patriots. Thank you all for coming here today and being a part of this celebration.”
