Let’s get this out of the way: making the case for Bill Belichick’s return is harder to make than the case for firing Bill Belichick. And it’s also shorter.
But that doesn’t mean it’s any less important.
And so, after presenting you with the case for firing Belichick – which you can find here – today’s assignment is to do the opposite. Hiring the next Nathaniel Hackett, after all, could actually leave the Patriots in far worse shape than they are right now. In the case of Hackett, remember, the Denver Broncos went from 7-10 to 5-12 despite adding quarterback Russell Wilson to the roster. Hackett actually went just 4-11 before the Broncos fired him during the 2022 season, a decision that ultimately led to the hiring of the experienced, accomplished Sean Payton.
Following a 1-5 start this year, the Broncos are 6-3 under Payton since, including a 1-0 record behind Wilson’s current replacement, Jarrett Stidham.
The point?
Bill Belichick may not be at the top of his game anymore, but he’s still better than Nathaniel (Buddy?) Hackett.

1964: American comedian Buddy Hackett (1924 – 2003). (Photo by Evening Standard/Getty Images)
We all know the approximate numbers at this point, but let’s revisit some of them for clarity. With or without Tom Brady, Belichick is a brilliant tactician and the possessor of 302-164 career record in the regular season, 31-13 in the postseason. His 332 combined career victories place are just 16 short of eclipsing Don Shula atop the NFL’s list for all-time coaching victories. (Shula famously opened a chain of steakhouses, the “347 Grille,” in honor of his achievement.) A whopping 296 of Belichick’s career victories have come in New England, where he has taken the Patriots to nine Super Bowls and, of course, won six of them.
To date, in fact, Belichick’s 4-12 record is the worst of his career, something will remain true whether the Patriots win or lose Sunday’s season finale against the New York Jets. He has coached 29 years. which makes 2023 an obvious aberration on his resume. Or does it?
Here is the case, then, for keeping Bill Belichick coach: