2023 was a big year of change in Boston sports. The landscape of all four teams was seemingly shifted by trades, retirements, restructures, and more.
As the year comes to a close, let’s take a look back at the 10 biggest Boston sports stories of 2023. Keep in mind that’s biggest, and not best.
We’re considering overall stories rather than individual moments, so some smaller storylines are included in the bigger picture ones. Some were instant, and some lasted weeks or months.
From the highs to the lows, lets get to what stood out from the Boston sports scene in 2023…
Honorable mentions
Jan 2, 2023; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Bruins goaltender Linus Ullmark (35) reaches for his water bottle during a media timeout during the first period of a game against the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 2023 Winter Classic ice hockey game at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Paul Rutherford-USA TODAY Sports
–The Bruins’ goalie “controversy”
–Matthew Poitras makes the Bruins’ roster out of camp
–Fenway Park hosts the Winter Classic
–Celtics make a run at the In-Season Tournament
–Gillette Stadium hosts Army-Navy
–Patriots DeAndre Hopkins free agency push
–Drama around Alex Cora
–Revolution, Bruce Arena part ways10. Red Sox sign Rafael Devers long-term
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – JUNE 23: Rafael Devers #11 of the Boston Red Sox tosses his bat after hitting a two-run home run in the fourth inning against the Chicago White Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field on June 23, 2023 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images)
The past few years, the biggest story around the Red Sox has been star players leaving Boston either via trade or free agency. There was a clear pattern to the front office being unable to retain homegrown talent.
After losing Mookie Betts and Xander Bogaerts in 2020 and 2022 respectively, Rafael Devers seemed destined to be the next star out of town in 2023. To close out 2022 reports indicated Devers and the Sox were far apart on negotiations.
That’s what made it so surprising when, on Jan. 3, the Red Sox and Devers reached an agreement on a 10-year, $313.5 million contract extension. Finally, the Red Sox had kept one of their own in Boston long-term.
Ultimately Devers’ return alone wasn’t enough to get the Red Sox back into contention in 2023. But, they now have a key piece secured as they try to rebuild the roster in 2024 and beyond (more on that in a bit).
9. Jaylen Brown inks the richest deal in NBA history
MIAMI, FLORIDA – MAY 27: Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics reacts to defeating the Miami Heat 104-103 in game six of the Eastern Conference Finals at Kaseya Center on May 27, 2023 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
As the Celtics’ offseason began, Jaylen Brown’s supermax contract extension was supposed to be a formality. While it ultimately ended up getting signed, there was about a month of drama of ‘will they, won’t they’ beforehand.
It took 25 days for Brown and the Celtics to finish the deal. During that time there were reports of a complex back-and-forth between the two sides, including a ‘pause‘ when Brown went to Europe for an event.
When the deal did get done, it was a $304 million dollar contract over five years, with all five years fully guaranteed. It remains the largest contract in NBA history. Now the question is, will Jayson Tatum break that record in 2024? He’s eligible for his own supermax extension this offseason.
8. Tom Brady retires (again), returns to Gillette Stadium as a Patriot
Sep 10, 2023; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots former quarterback Tom Brady speaks during a halftime ceremony in his honor during the game between the Philadelphia Eagles and New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium. Credit: Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports
Brady’s retirement isn’t as high on this list because we’d been there before with him. The seven-time Super Bowl champion announced in early February he was hanging his cleats up for good, and this time it stuck after his retirement and return in 2022.
With Brady now no longer busy on Sundays, he returned to Gillette Stadium for Week 1 of the 2023 season. After having played one game in Foxborough with the Buccaneers this was Brady’s return ‘as a Patriot.’ He wore his old jersey, ran around the field to fire up the crowd, and gave a speech where he declared himself “a Patriot for life.”
7. Red Sox fire Chaim Bloom
Aug. 28, 2022; Boston, Massachusetts: Chaim Bloom looks on before a game between the Boston Red Sox and the Tampa Bay Rays at Fenway Park. (Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports)
In a move that was years in the making, the Red Sox moved on from Chaim Bloom as president of baseball operations in mid-September. Blooms tenure was a rocky one, as star players were often replaced with budget options. He also seemed to struggle at the deadline each year, failing to make an impact buying or selling move in three of his four years.
During Bloom’s three-plus years running the Red Sox the team went 267-262. They finished in last place in three of those four seasons with a 2021 ACLS appearance being the outlier.
A month and a half after firing Bloom, the Red Sox hired Craig Breslow to run baseball operations. Will any of his moves appear on the 2024 list? We’ll see.
6. Marcus Smart’s Celtics tenure comes to a close
PORTLAND, OREGON – MARCH 17: Marcus Smart #36 of the Boston Celtics in action during the fourth quarter against the Portland Trail Blazers at the Moda Center on March 17, 2023 in Portland, Oregon. The Boston Celtics won 126-112. (Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images)
Marcus Smart’s time as the longest-tenured Celtic came to a close in June of this year. After nine years in Boston, the Celtics traded him to the Memphis Grizzlies in a three-team deal that netted them Kristaps Porzingis. Following the trade the Celtics signed Porzingis to a two-year, $60 million contract extension.
The trade was met with mixed reactions. Smart had been tabbed as the ‘heart and soul’ of the Celtics’ franchise early on in the Jayson Tatum-Jaylen Brown era, but his style of play was often cited as a roadblock for the team getting over the hump to win a title.
It was certainly the end of an era in Boston, but early returns on the trade though suggest Brad Stevens made the right move. Porzingis has played like a true game-changing talent to start his Celtics career, averaging 20.3 points and 7.1 rebounds per game while shooting 53.9 percent from the field during the C’s hot start. Meanwhile, Smart has played just 12 games this year due to injury, and the Grizzlies have a 10-20 record overall.
5. Mac Jones fails to ‘prove it’ in prove it year
FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS – OCTOBER 08: Mac Jones #10 of the New England Patriots walks off the field after his team’s 34-0 loss against the New Orleans Saints at Gillette Stadium on October 08, 2023 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Winslow Townson/Getty Images)
After leading the Patriots to the playoffs as a rookie in 2021 then struggling in 2022, 2023 was a ‘make or break’ year for Patriots quarterback Mac Jones. In the end, he broke.
Jones did manage to start the season on a high note, coming out of a strong training camp performance by throwing for 316 yards and three touchdowns against the Eagles in the season opener. From there though, it was all downhill.
After a few forgettable performances to close out September, Jones went into Dallas in Week 4 and imploded. He threw two picks and lost a fumble before being pulled late in a 38-3 loss. The next week saw more of the same, as the Patriots got blown out by the Saints.
For a second it looked like Jones was going to turn things around after leading a comeback drive in a 29-25 upset win over the Bills, but he was never able to recapture that level of play. After a poor performance against the Colts in Germany leading into the bye, he split the Patriots’ Week 11 matchup with the Giants with backup Bailey Zappe, only playing the first half. Zappe was named the starter the next week, and Jones hasn’t seen the field since.
With a decision on Jones’ fifth-year option looming this offseason, the Patriots will likely be back looking for a franchise quarterback in 2024 – their second time doing so since Tom Brady’s departure four years ago.
4. Patrice Bergeron retires
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – APRIL 30: Patrice Bergeron #37 of the Boston Bruins waves to fans before exiting the ice after Florida Panthers defeat the Bruins 4-3 in overtime of Game Seven of the First Round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs at TD Garden on April 30, 2023 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
Tom Brady wasn’t the only Boston sports legend to retire this year. Patrice Bergeron announced his retirement after playing 19 years in the NHL – all for the Bruins.
Bergeron walks away third in franchise history in games played (1,294), goals scored (427), and total points (1,040). He won a Stanley Cup in 2011 as well as a league record six Selke Trophies in his career. His No. 37 is assuredly heading to the rafters of TD Garden.
Not only was Bergeron excellent on the ice, but he was a key part of building the Bruins’ strong identity and culture over the past decade-plus. With his retirement following those of Zdeno Chara, Tuukka Rask, and David Krejci, it truly signaled the beginning of a new era of Bruins hockey as they began their 100th season in franchise history.
3. Celtics nearly make history before coming up short in ECF
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – MAY 11: Malcolm Brogdon #13, Jaylen Brown #7, Jayson Tatum #0, Al Horford #42 and Marcus Smart #36 of the Boston Celtics talk against the Philadelphia 76ers during the fourth quarter in game six of the Eastern Conference Semifinals in the 2023 NBA Playoffs at Wells Fargo Center on May 11, 2023 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)
Last year the Celtics’ run to the NBA Finals was our No. 1 story of the year. This year, the Celtics couldn’t quite return to that level.
In the regular season the Celtics looked like a wagon. They finished 57-25, good for second place in the Eastern Conference. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown were both named All-NBA, Malcolm Brogdon won Sixth Man of the Year, and Derrick White got a second-team All-Defense nod.
The Celtics battled through the Hawks to win their first round series in six games. Then they faced the Sixers and fell behind 3-2, with a slow start in Game 6. Just when it looked like they were on the ropes, Tatum woke up from a slump scoring 16 points in the fourth quarter to lead the Celtics to a win – after which he declared himself to be “humbly, one of the best basketball players in the world.”
Tatum upped the ante two nights later with arguably the greatest Game 7 performance in NBA history. He scored a Game 7 record 51 points to send Boston back to the Eastern Conference Finals.
In the ECF against the Miami Heat things took a turn for the worst for the Celtics. They lost the first three games, instantly facing elimination. As allusions to the 2004 Red Sox started trending around the team they seemed up for the occasion. After a decisive win in Game 5, White saved the Celtics in Game 6 with a last-second tip-in to force another Game 7 at TD Garden.
However, the Celtics failed to recapture the magic of their previous Game 7, or mount the first 0-3 comeback in NBA playoff history. Tatum injured his ankle in the opening minutes of the game and the Celtics never recaptured the momentum or energy in the building, ending their season with a 103-84 loss.
2. Bruins record-setting season ends early in the playoffs
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – APRIL 26: Patrice Bergeron #37 and Charlie McAvoy #73 of the Boston Bruins talk against the Florida Panthers during the second period in Game Five of the First Round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs at TD Garden on April 26, 2023 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
The Bruins’ 2023 started at Fenway Park, hosting the Pittsburgh Penguins in the Winter Classic. Jake DeBrusk’s game-winning goal in the final minute kicked off a stretch where the B’s went 36-8-1 to close out the year, including an eight-game winning streak to end the Presidents’ Trophy-winning regular season.
Not only did the Bruins set a league record with 135 points, they did so comfortably. Their 65 wins were three more than the previous record as well.
For their efforts, Patrice Bergeron won the Selke, and Linus Ullmark won the Vezina. First-year head coach Jim Montgomery won the Jack Adams as well.
However, that’s where the run ended for the Bruins. After going up 3-1 on the Florida Panthers in the first round of the playoffs, the Bruins failed to secure the series. They never recovered from a sloppy overtime loss in Game 5, as mounting injuries saw them give up seven goals in a loss in Florida in Game 6.
In Game 7 the Bruins fought back from an early deficit to take a late lead, but surrendered the game-tying goal in the final minute of regulation. Not long after the Panthers scored in overtime, ringing in midnight on the Bruins’ Cinderella season.
1. Bill Belichick’s future
FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS – DECEMBER 17: New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick exits the field after the Patriots 27-17 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs at Gillette Stadium on December 17, 2023 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
While we probably won’t get a resolution on this story until 2024, it still takes the top spot for 2023. What is the fate of Bill Belichick in the New England Patriots?
Belichick is the greatest coach in NFL history, and arguably the greatest in the history in all of pro team sports in North America. Will the Patriots actually make a change?
That’s a question that has been asked often this year. As GM, Belichick’s offseason came under scrutiny as the team failed to add significant impact players on offense, then used its first three draft picks on the defensive side of the ball.
Things didn’t look any better for Belichick once the season began. The Patriots failed to succeed in areas that have been traditional strengths under Belichick such as limiting penalties and procedural issues, and the special teams unit has been one of the worst in the league. That, combined with holes on the roster and the continued issues in the development of Mac Jones have the Patriots sitting at 4-11 heading into their final game of the calendar year this Sunday against the Buffalo Bills.
Early in December, reports indicated Robert Kraft’s mind may already be made up when it comes to Belichick’s future in New England. Will our 2024 list include the Patriots getting a new head coach? Or Belichick’s bounce-back season?
