Is the pressure building on Bill Belichick & the Patriots? | You Pod To Win The Game
Yahoo Sports NFL Writers Charles Robinson and Jori Epstein speak about Bill Belichick's future with the Patriots ahead of the 2023-2024 season.
Video Transcript
[AUDIO LOGO]
CHARLES ROBINSON: Another thing that happened I thought was interesting, Bill Belichick-- Dan Wetzel wrote a good column on this, too, this idea where after all this time of Bill Belichick always being this forward-facing guy, all of a sudden, he seems to be backward-facing more than ever than we've ever seen, talking about past success. And I said this before, I felt the pressure was there last offseason. I think the pressure is there this offseason.
And I think if they go through another year this year like they went through last year, to me, I think 2024 then is-- I don't think Belichick is on the hot seat in any way, shape, or form. I think there's pressure. I think the hot seat, though, comes in 2024. In terms of realistically something happening to Bill Belichick, it comes in 2024. If they replicate last year's struggle, that happens again this year, I think 2024 is going to be very interesting.
JORI EPSTEIN: Yeah, I think there's a couple interesting aspects here. I think, first of all, Belichick got a lot of heat for when asked about why fans should feel excited and what should inspire them and give them optimism going forward, he said the last 25 years. I get the whole idea of he can't rest on his laurels. He's got to win now. He can't be immune forever.
But I think you can also, if you're trying to give him the benefit of the doubt, especially a man who says few words and so maybe there's a way he intended it, I think he's saying I don't want to give you words to tell you why this year can work. I want you to look at the actions and let my actions speak for itself. I've actually had other coaches in the league who have said stuff like that, like, well, I did this five years ago, and I've been to the highest level. And I'm like, yeah, 15 years ago with a different quarterback.
So I think you're right. You're right. I mean, I think he could have meant that, but I also think it's fair for you to say, no one should buy it. I think that's fair.
The other thing I'll say is that this gets really interesting because if you're just any other coach, then you're like, you know what, I've been doing this for however many years. I'm in my 70s. I'm content with my career. I've won an insane number of Super Bowls. I'm clearly going to be in the Hall of Fame.
But Bill Belichick wants to have the most wins of any football coach, and he is 18 wins away from that, from tying that mark. And so it's like when you start getting into that, and you're like, OK, well, 2023, he should be fine, but 2024 he's on the hot seat, well, how many wins is he getting in two seasons? Is he going to get there? And what happens if he's one win away, if he's tied, if he's two wins away?
I think that if he passes it-- which also, you could say if he passes it, he's doing something right, such that maybe they don't need to replace him. But I think if he can get there in two or three years, he's out. I don't know. That's, to me, where it gets really interesting. And you better start getting those wins this year. Because if you don't get them in 2024, you don't know if you're going to get 2025 as an option.