Bill Belichick

The defending Super Bowl champions - and winners in three of the last five seasons - suffered a shock elimination from the NFL playoffs as the Titans triumphed 20-13 on Saturday.

Belichick felt his side were on the wrong end of the fine margins as their first wild-card outing in a decade ended in a disappointing defeat.

"Obviously a close game," he said. "[We] just couldn't make enough plays.

"It's always disappointing to end like this, but it's the National Football League. Just [had to] keep playing, just got to play a little bit better and we couldn’t do it.

"They [the Titans] made some key plays in critical situations, in the red area on third down, and ultimately those plays were probably the difference in the game.

"Look, I have a ton of respect for this football team [the Patriots]. These guys competed all year. Everybody, all three units.

"We played hard and, as I said, just came up a little bit short."

With Brady set to become a free agent, talk about the 42-year-old's next move was high on the agenda, but Belichick was in no mood to enter the discussion.

"Right now we just finished the game, so we're focused on this game, okay?" he responded. "I mean, really."

Brady, a three-time NFL MVP, was 20 of 37 for 209 yards and an interception against the Titans and declared that retirement was "pretty unlikely", with no indication of whether he would remain with New England. 

Belichick and the Patriots parted ways last week, bringing an end to one of the most remarkable coaching tenures in league history.

The 71-year-old led the Patriots for 24 seasons, overseeing 18 playoff visits and taking the team to nine Super Bowls, winning six of those showpiece games with the most recent coming in 2019.

However, New England missed the playoffs in three of their last four seasons under Belichick, prompting team owner Robert Kraft to replace his long-serving coach with former linebackers coach Jerod Mayo.

Some have suggested Belichick's failure to win a Super Bowl without Brady diminishes his achievements somewhat, with the coach's overall NFL record without the quarterback standing at 85-102, but Harmon does not subscribe to that view.

"I think both those guys are motivated by one thing; being the best they can each and every day," Harmon – who played for Belichick's Patriots between 2013 and 2019 – told Stats Perform.

"Tom's job would be to be the best quarterback and rally his team. Bill's job was to be the best head coach and rally his team as well, and to make sure the coaches understand his vision so they can pass it to the players and put the best product on the field. 

"It's easy to try to put those two against each other, but I think at the end of the day, they needed each other. 

"They understand that they couldn't have accomplished what they accomplished in New England without each other.

"I think there's a great amount of respect that they have for each other. I'm still grateful and appreciative that I got to be around the greatest quarterback and the greatest head coach of all time."

Brady did manage to win one more title after he and Belichick parted ways in 2020, collecting his seventh ring by leading the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to glory at Super Bowl LV.

Harmon does not believe Brady was motivated by a desire to prove he could succeed without Belichick, saying: "I truly don't believe he needs any extra motivation. 

"This guy wanted to be the best player that he can be every day, whether it was with the Buccaneers, whether it was with the Patriots, he just wants to get the best out of himself every day. 

"I don't think it was, 'I want to prove I could do this without Bill', I think more so it was just him going to Tampa and doing what he does. 

"The thing that people don't realise, and I know Tom was always a great competitor, but the cultural style that came from Bill to him is what I believe gave him that extra motivation, that extra push to make Tom truly who he is. 

"As a young player, when he first took from Drew Bledsoe [in 2001], it was a very veteran-based team, so he wanted to gain the respect of not only the players, but also Bill Belichick. 

"Bill pushed him as best he could to be the best that he could be, and in the end, he became the best ever."

Having won three Super Bowls in six years in New England, Harmon is uniquely placed to offer an insight into the relationship between Belichick and Brady at the height of the Patriots' dominance.

"It was like yin and yang. It was Michael Jordan and Phil Jackson. Kobe Bryant, Phil Jackson," he recalled.

"I was fortunate enough to be captain one year with the Patriots and saw how they interacted in the captains' meeting and how they were always on the same page. 

"There were times when Bill got on Tom in front of everybody, and it wasn't to demean Tom, but it was to let everybody know that there is a standard in this organisation, it doesn't matter who you are, whether you're the best player or you're the last guy on the practice squad. 

"Seeing those guys work together allowed me to see what that head coach-quarterback partnership is supposed to look like at the highest level."

That is the view of Duron Harmon, who played for the Patriots between 2013 and 2019, winning three Super Bowl rings in that time.

All of those triumphs came under Belichick's guidance, with the 71-year-old having been head coach of the Patriots since 2000.

His 24th straight season in charge has proved a dismal one, with the Patriots sinking to a 2-10 record.

New England have lost their last five games including their 6-0 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 13.

Their displays have cast doubt over the future of veteran coach Belichick, but Harmon – who is on the practice roster at the Cleveland Browns – does not think making a change is the right solution.

"I just think it's timing," he told Stats Perform. "How many organisations do you know that are this successful for this long? That's life.

"You look at all the great organisations, the [Chicago] Bulls when they had their run, then eventually, you've got to go through [hard times]. 

"That's just a part of sports that happens because when you're at the top, everybody's gunning for you. Everybody's trying to figure out how to get better.

"They're taking from you, they're taking coaches from you. They're taking players from you. That's sports, it's life.

"We've come where it's time for the Patriots to be on the other side for a little bit. I think if there is one person that can reverse it and turn it the other way, it's the man that's right there, and that's Bill Belichick – he's done it before.

"If he has the, I don't want to say patience, but if he wants to go through that again, I think he's the man to do it."

Harmon also believes Belichick would choose to stay on with the Patriots, rather than end his tenure on a low ebb.

He added: "Besides Tom Brady, he's the most competitive person I know. People don't realise, Bill is a competitor. He loves to win, but he hates to lose even more. And you can kind of just see it in his demeanour.

"Losing is not a part of his nature and I can't see him just going out like this.

"I think this would be the motivation. He does everything there. He's the coach, he's the front office. It's all on him."

Flores alleged in the suit that the NFL is rife with racism and has a "disingenuous commitment to social equity".

He is suing the league along with teams at whose hands he claims he experienced racism, naming former team the Miami Dolphins along with the Giants and Denver Broncos as defendants, together with "John Doe Teams 1 through 29".

The NFL said Flores' claims "are without merit", saying it would put up a defence. The three teams named by Flores also rejected his allegations.

Among the allegations made by Flores is that he inadvertently learned he had failed to get the Giants job last week before his interview, which the lawsuit claims was "a sham" that "humiliated" him.

The suit contains screen grabs of an alleged text message conversation between New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick and Flores, in which Belichick congratulates Flores on what he believes is an impending appointment, only to realise he was messaging the wrong person, having intended to contact Brian Daboll, who got the Giants job.

During the text exchange, Flores questioned whether Belichick had messaged the correct person, with the Patriots coach having indicated he had inside knowledge on who would land the job.

According to the lawsuit's contents, Belichick at this point realised his error and apologised to Flores, who worked for him for 10 years with the Patriots.

However, the Giants released a lengthy statement on Thursday, saying: "The decision on who we would hire as head coach was made on the evening of January 28, one day after Mr. Flores spent an entire day in our offices going through his second interview for the position, meeting with ownership and other staff members, and receiving a tour of our facility."

The team added Belichick would have no knowledge of any decision, as the alleged conversation suggested.

"The allegation that the Giants' decision had been made prior to Friday evening, January 28, is false," the Giants said.

"And to base that allegation on a text exchange with Bill Belichick in which he ultimately states that he 'thinks' Brian Daboll would get the job is irresponsible.

"The text exchange occurred the day before Coach Daboll's in-person interview even took place. Giants' ownership would never hire a head coach based only on a 20-minute zoom interview, which is all that Mr. Daboll had at that point.

"In addition, Mr. Belichick does not speak for and has no affiliation with the Giants. Mr. Belichick's text exchange provides no insight into what actually transpired during our head coaching search."

The Giants included a timeline of Flores' day at their facility and said: "We hired Brian Daboll as our head coach at the conclusion of an open and thorough interview process. No decision was made, and no job offer was extended, until the evening of January 28, a full day after Mr. Flores' in-person interview and day-long visit to the Giants."

Last week, team owner Robert Kraft announced the end of Belichick's remarkable 24-year stint in charge of the Patriots, who he led to six Super Bowl titles – the most of any coach in the league's history.  

Belichick led New England to 18 playoff trips after taking charge in 2000, but the team missed the postseason in three of his final four campaigns at the helm. 

Their 4-13 record throughout the 2023 season was their worst under Belichick, whose last playoff win came back in 2019 as the Patriots beat the Los Angeles Rams at Super Bowl LIII.

Despite a less-than-stellar end to his distinguished run in New England, Harmon – who won three Super Bowls throughout a six-year stint with the team between 2013 and 2019 – says Belichick's place in the history books is secure.

Asked what Belichick's Patriots legacy amounted to, Harmon told Stats Perform: "In my opinion, he's just the best coach who ever graced the NFL. 

"What he was able to accomplish over those 20-plus years as a Patriots coach, we've never seen it before. It will never be duplicated. 

"He set the standard extremely high for when people try to talk about dynasties. I'm just forever grateful that he chose me to be a part of his team and to be a part of his legacy."

While Belichick will turn 72 in April, it has been suggested that he may stay in the league as he chases down Don Shula's all-time record of 347 wins (regular season and playoffs), a tally he is currently 14 shy of.

The Los Angeles Chargers have been touted as a potential destination for Belichick, but Harmon cannot see the Patriots legend coaching elsewhere.

"I just can't see it," he said. "He and Tom Brady are the Patriots. They're what the Patriots stand for, to do your job, hard-nosed gritty football, those two together built the Patriots organisation. 

"So to see him go somewhere else... me personally, I can't see it, but the beauty about sports is you just never know. In due time, we will figure out whether he'll be somewhere else."

For the Patriots, attention quickly turned to the search for Belichick's successor, and 37-year-old former linebackers coach Jerod Mayo became the league's youngest head coach when his promotion was made official on Friday.

Having shared a locker room with Mayo throughout his first three seasons with the Patriots, Harmon believes he has all the attributes required to be a success. 

"My time there with him… he's a tremendous, tremendous leader. A leader of men, an intelligent person," Harmon said of Mayo.

"Most people say he's just a smart football player, but he's just an intelligent person. Straight out of retirement, he went and worked for a company, a big Fortune 500 company. 

"It shows who he is as a person and as a leader, that as soon as he gets done playing, somebody wants to hire him to lead this division of their company. 

"If I had to put my hat on or give my blessing to anybody, it would be Jerod Mayo."

The Patriots improved to 7-4 across the season, extending their undefeated away run to five games, being one of two teams who remain unbeaten on the road.

New England also maintained their excellent defensive form, having allowed only 13 points in their past three games.

"I'm proud of the way our guys played on defense," Belichick said at the post-game news conference. "The coaching staff did a good job.

"I thought our defensive coaches really worked hard this week. It was a short week of preparation.

"[Falcons head coach] Arthur [Smith] is always giving us trouble, we had a lot of trouble with him at Tennessee. He gave us some problems tonight but fortunately we were able to get out of some of them one way or another.

"You've got to give the coaches and players a lot of credit. They did a good job."

The Patriots are second in the AFC East after winning their past five consecutive games, and defensive back Devin McCourty said they had discovered their "blueprint" but had to keep it up.

"We found our blueprint," McCourty told reporters. "It's hard work. It's putting in the hours practising hard. We can't let that slip up. End of November-December we have to stick to that.

"I think that's shown so far, when we stick that we have a chance to win a lot of games."

This latest success moved Belichick into a tie for second for the most all-time coaching wins across the regular season and postseason.

The Patriots legend is now level with George Halas, trailing only Don Shula's 347.

The dominant defeat of the Browns was Belichick's 293rd regular season win, which has him third behind Halas (318) and Shula (328), while he leads all coaches with 31 playoff victories.

"I've got a ton of respect for coach Halas and the McCaskey family and what he did for professional football," Belichick said.

"The way that he and, since we're here, [first Browns coach] Paul Brown and others like them paved the way for us, as coaches, and paved the way for the National Football League to grow to what it is today. They laid down a lot of the building blocks."

Meanwhile, Zappe was as impressive in his second NFL start as he had been in his first, a 29-0 rout of the Detroit Lions last week.

The rookie fourth-rounder, who against the Lions became the fifth of five Patriot quarterbacks selected by Belichick outside the first round to win his first start, threw for 309 yards and two touchdowns in Cleveland, achieving a 118.4 passer rating.

Zappe is therefore the first rookie to win his first two career starts while recording a rating of at least 100 in both games since Hall of Famer Sonny Jurgensen in 1957.

Following the departure of Tom Brady to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Patriots have signed Brian Hoyer and Cam Newton to join Jarrett Stidham on the depth chart at the position.

The trio have been sharing reps during training camp but the cancellation of the preseason amid the coronavirus pandemic has denied them the chance to play before Week 1 of the 2020 campaign.

Head coach Belichick has a decision to make over who starts, though made clear during a media call on Wednesday that he will do whatever gives his team the best chance of winning - including using more than one option in games.

"It might [be a benefit]," Belichick told the media when asked about the possibility of utilising multiple quarterbacks.

"Look, I always say, I'll do what I think is best for the team, what gives us the best chance to win. So, whatever that is, I would certainly consider that.

"If it's run unbalanced line, or double unbalanced line, or 23 personnel. Whatever it is. If it helps us win, then I would consider anything."

Former NFL MVP Newton signed with New England on July 8 after being released by the Carolina Panthers.

Hoyer is in his third stint with the franchise, while Stidham was a fourth-round pick in the 2019 draft who completed just two passes last season while serving as Brady's back-up.

"Right now, we want to try and give everybody an opportunity to work out the basics. We are really doing that at all the positions," Belichick said of the quarterback situation.

"Everybody is rotating through, we're trying to give everybody an opportunity to run the basic plays and get the fundamentals down.

"Of course, at some point we will have to not equalise the reps, that's obvious, but we're not there now."

The Patriots open the campaign against the Miami Dolphins on September 13.

Stidham, 23, appeared in three games for the Patriots last season, but could start in 2020 after Tom Brady's departure to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Patriots head coach Belichick is pleased with the progress Stidham – a fourth-round pick in 2019 – has made.

"'Stid' worked really hard last year, he was our back-up quarterback the entire season and I know he's working hard in the offseason," he told NFL Network on Thursday as the 2020 schedule was released.

"He's made a lot of progress in terms of understanding our offense and understanding opponent defenses, like all players do from year one to year two.

"I'm sure he'll get out there and be ready to go, be prepared, compete hard and we'll see where it takes us."

Stidham, Brian Hoyer, J'Mar Smith and Brian Lewerke are the Patriots' options at quarterback.

Belichick said: "That's where we are and you never know what's going to happen down the road.

"We feel like we have four good players there."

Mac Jones was benched after three series for backup Bailey Zappe in the Patriots' 33-14 home defeat to the Chicago Bears on Monday.

Belichick insisted that decision was not performance-based after the game, alluding to the fact Jones was returning in Week 7 following a three-game absence due to a high ankle sprain.

Jones was not listed on the Patriots' injury report this week, yet Belichick declined to elaborate on the situation on Wednesday ahead of practice.

"We'll see how it goes today," Belichick told reporters five times when asked about the QB situation.

Onlookers at Patriots practice on Wednesday claimed that Jones took the vast majority of first team reps in an indication he will start on Sunday.

Jones, who was taken with the 15th pick in last year's NFL Draft, has started four games this season, completing 67 of 103 attempts for 799 yards with two touchdowns and six interceptions.

The second-year quarterback admitted that he had not been told by Belichick if he would start against the Jets but insisted he was fine with that.

"He's done a good job, been very open with me," Jones said. "I think that's all you can ask for, clear communication. Putting all the rat poison away and playing the best I can play and becoming the best quarterback I can be.

"Like I said, those are things that we want to work through as the week goes along. I don’t really care if they tell me or not, it's just important that I'm ready to go. Just as Zappe is ready to go.

"It's the same way every week, you want to prepare as a starter… I plan to start every game I've ever played in."

This year's free agency period is unlikely to see a move as decisive as Tom Brady's decision to swap the New England Patriots for the Buccaneers.

However, with franchises dealing with a likely declining salary cap because of the impact of playing a season largely without fans, the chaos of the league's open market should still be fascinating to watch.

But which teams will be the most active when the NFL opens the window for teams to begin negotiating with free agents next Monday?

Here we look at those likeliest to be busy and the signings they could make.

Jacksonville Jaguars

Cap Space: $85.7million

From having the number one pick in the draft, which they will almost certainly use on Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence, to having the most salary cap space in the league, the Jaguars are the franchise that holds the keys to the offseason.

New general manager Trent Baalke and first-time NFL head coach Urban Meyer have no shortage of needs to address following a one-win 2020 season.

Lawrence will require much-improved pass protection if he is to thrive and lead Jacksonville to contention. With that in mind, they should be in on the sweepstakes for All-Pro left tackle Trent Williams, who cannot be franchise-tagged by the San Francisco 49ers and is likely to command over $20m a year.

Given the money at their disposal, the Jags will be among the leading candidates to lure edge rusher Shaquil Barrett from the Buccaneers. He could form a formidable tandem with Jacksonville's 2019 first-round pick Josh Allen.

New York Jets

Cap Space: $72.4million

The Jets' offseason will be defined by whether they stick with Sam Darnold at quarterback or use their second overall pick to select one of the top four signal-callers in the draft class.

But beyond that pivotal decision, Jets GM Joe Douglas and Robert Saleh have an arduous task of turning one of the worst rosters in football into one primed to contend in the AFC.

Saleh may look to his old team, the 49ers, for whom he was defensive coordinator from 2017 to 2020, to build up his secondary in New York.

Richard Sherman could be tempted cross country to stay with Saleh, while slot cornerback K'Waun Williams is a New Jersey native who could offer the Jets a dependable presence familiar with the defense.

New England Patriots

Cap Space: $72.6million

Bill Belichick has rarely been one to spend big in his storied tenure as head coach and de-facto GM of the Patriots.

However, possessing a talent-poor roster and in danger of being left behind in the AFC East, this could be the year where he changes course, and Belichick has already made a significant move, bringing back offensive tackle Trent Brown in a trade with the Las Vegas Raiders.

New England must make a decision at quarterback after an unconvincing season from Cam Newton as Tom Brady's successor.

Regardless of who is under center, the Patriots will not compete if their quarterback does not have dynamic weapons among their pass-catchers.

Belichick has typically had a blindspot for wide receivers in the draft, so more experienced options with playmaking upside like Corey Davis and Marvin Jones could find a home in New England. Hunter Henry may also be a target if the Los Angeles Chargers decide not to pay the tight end who was franchise-tagged last year.

Indianapolis Colts

Cap Space: $50.5million

The Colts have the man they hope will be the answer at quarterback following Philip Rivers' retirement, backing Carson Wentz to rehabilitate his career under Frank Reich and acquiring him from the Philadelphia Eagles.

In terms of a support system, Wentz is heading into a team with a strong one in place, yet it could still be improved and the Colts have the wiggle room to be aggressive.

They may be an attractive destination for the aforementioned Williams, who would be an upgrade on the retired Anthony Castonzo at left tackle.

Veteran wide receiver T.Y. Hilton could leave in free agency and it would not be wise for the Colts to rely too heavily on Michael Pittman Jr at wideout despite a strong end to his rookie season.

As they look to maximise Wentz's chances of being successful, a move for a high-profile receiver like Allen Robinson could make a great deal of sense for a team looking to challenge the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Cap Space: $18.1million

The outlier here in terms of cap space but, having blown out the Chiefs in Super Bowl LV, the Buccaneers will surely not be short of players wanting to join them on short-term deals to link up with Brady and make another push for a Lombardi Trophy.

Tampa will be busy enough trying to hold on to as many in-house free agents as possible, but the Bucs will find intriguing potential temporary options in areas of need on the open market.

Reinforcements may well be required on the defensive line given the possibility of Barrett going elsewhere.

The Bucs have seen one veteran, Jason Pierre-Paul, thrive on the edge. Perhaps Justin Houston, who has 19 sacks over his last two seasons with the Colts, could be tempted by the chance to chase a ring in Tampa.

On the interior, the Buccaneers have a monstrous presence in Vita Vea, and their strength in that area could allow them to take a swing on a former first-rounder in Sheldon Rankins, who has seen his career with the New Orleans Saints stall because of injuries but had eight sacks back in 2018.

Speaking to the media the day after the Patriots' home playoff defeat to the Tennessee Titans, Belichick declared his pride at how hard the team had worked throughout the season, winning the AFC East with a 12-4 record.

Unsurprisingly, however, the six-time Super Bowl-winning head coach was asked about his long-time quarterback, someone he described as an "iconic figure" in the organisation.

Brady had said in the aftermath of the 20-13 loss that retirement was "pretty unlikely". The 42-year-old is set to become a free agent in March and there has been speculation he could end his long association with New England to play elsewhere.

Asked if he had a timeline in mind for when he planned to hold discussions with Brady, Belichick replied: "No."

He then said during the press conference: "I know it's out there [the question about Brady's future], just like there are a lot of things out there. We could bring up 50 questions like that one, but I've told you my status on that. You can ask all 50 of them but it's going to be the same answer 50 times.

"I'm not going to talk a lot of things about the future because I'm not prepared to talk about it."

Belichick, who also said that "nobody respects Tom more than I do", opted not to provide any update on his own future with the Pats, instead reflecting on the campaign that had just come to an end.

"We are less than 12 hours from the end of the game. Nobody has thought about the future, everybody has been focused on Miami, then Tennessee. That’s where all the focus should have been – and it was," he said in his opening statement.

"Whatever is in the future we will deal with at some point in time – we are certainly not going to deal with it now. It’s always a tough ending to the year, but we lost to a team who was a little better than us last night."

Turning 71 in April, Belichick has been at the helm since 2000, guiding the Patriots to six Super Bowl rings and establishing the franchise as a dominant force in the NFL.

However, Belichick's Patriots have posted a losing record in two of three seasons since Tom Brady left for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, having previously not had a losing season since his first year in charge.

Defeat to the Buffalo Bills in Week 18 saw the Patriots miss out on a playoff spot for the second time in three years but work ahead of the 2023 season is set to begin, with Belichick set to remain in his post.

"Our record is around .500, which is what it has been right around this year. With that, there have been some good things and some not so good things," he told reporters.

"Nobody is satisfied with that, it's not our goal, and we need to improve on that. All of us, there is accountability everywhere, starting with me, the coaching staff, the players, each unit, there are things that we will all address, and that process will start later today.

"We'll begin to turn the page and move on, to start to do the things we need to do to improve our team, to be competitive, and get better results.

"We haven't started that yet, we're still in the wake of yesterday's game. I'm sure there will be different aspects to that, as we evaluate everything, to have a stronger team in the future."

A 24-10 loss to the Buffalo Bills last Thursday saw the Foxborough outfit drop to 6-6 for the season, leaving them outside the AFC's wild card slots with a handful of games to go.

Though there is plenty of time to still salvage their season, the Patriots appear to be in something of a rut, with quarterback Mac Jones involved in a sideline outburst last week.

Belichick, however, will not introduce wholesale changes, claiming they are too deep into the season to do so, and stating they merely need to execute their existing tactics.

"I think we need to do what we're doing better," he told radio station WEEI. "I don't think at this point making a lot of dramatic changes. It's too hard to do that.

"If we can just do, consistently, what we're doing, I think we'll be all right. We just haven't been able to have enough consistency. That's hurt us.

"It's not one thing. One time, it's one thing, [and] next time, it's something else. We just have to play and coach more consistently.

"I think we'd all certainly like to be doing better than what we've been doing, from a record standpoint and from an individual execution [standpoint]. But we're going to look ahead and not backward."

The Patriots are not in action for another week now, and will return to the field against the struggling Arizona Cardinals next Monday.

Belichick has enjoyed a remarkable career in the NFL, leading the Patriots to six Super Bowl titles since his appointment two decades ago.

The most successful head coach in NFL history, Belichick resigned on the day he was due to front the media as the Jets' new coach 20 years ago.

After the Patriots (3-5) topped the winless Jets (0-9) 30-27 on Monday, Belichick recalled his stunning departure from New York.

"That was one of the not only most defining, but one of the great moments of my career," Belichick WEEI in Boston on Tuesday.

"That combined with Robert [Kraft] giving me the opportunity to come here, I couldn't have asked for anything more."

Belichick had joined the Jets in 1997 and served as the team's assistant head coach and defensive co-ordinator before Bill Parcells stepped down at the end of the 1999 season.

Parcells had arranged for Belichick to succeed him in New York however, the latter went on to take charge of the Patriots in a bizarre turn of events – New England giving up a first-round draft pick to prise the former Cleveland Browns coach.

Belichick added: "That wasn't a good situation for me and I didn't want to be a part of it, so I wasn't. The other half was Robert giving me the opportunity to come [to New England].

"Trading, he gave up quite a bit for me to come here, that was a big trade. I'm very thankful that it worked out.

"I appreciate all the support from Robert, the Kraft family, the Patriots' organisation and all the New England fans. I'll keep trying to do my best for this team, and this organisation, giving the very best that I can.

"I'm very thankful for the opportunity to come here and I just wasn't going to stay there in that situation."

Nick Folks' 51-yard field goal was the longest game-winning field goal with no time remaining in the fourth quarter in Patriots history as New England snapped a four-game losing streak, per Stats Perform.

Patriots quarterback Cam Newton completed 18 passes to undrafted wide receivers in the victory over the Jets (Jakobi Meyers 12, Damiere Byrd five and Gunner Olszewski one). It was the most completions to undrafted wide receivers by any QB in a win during the Super Bowl era.

But for Belichick's part, the Patriots coach has long since accepted he would not have enjoyed the same success, which saw New England win six Super Bowls in Brady's 20 seasons as quarterback, had another player been under center.

Asked at a media conference if New England would have dominated to the same extent without Brady, Belichick replied: "Of course not. We talked about that for two decades.

"I think I've been on the record dozens of times saying there's no quarterback I would rather have than Tom Brady and I still feel that way.

"I was very lucky to have Tom as the quarterback, to coach him, and he was as good as any coach could ever ask for."

Belichick's fondness for Brady did not stop him from allowing the Patriots' greatest player to leave in the offseason before the 2020 campaign.

Brady moved on to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and promptly won a seventh Super Bowl ring.

While Belichick will have to plan for a game against Brady for the first time when the Buccaneers visit the Patriots at Gillette Stadium on Sunday, he will likely not have to face tight end Rob Gronkowski, whom the Patriots traded to the Bucs last season after he came out of retirement.

Gronkowski was listed as doubtful on the Bucs' injury report, having suffered a rib injury during Tampa Bay's Week 3 loss to the Los Angeles Rams.

Running back Giovani Bernard and cornerback Jamel Dean have both been ruled out, the latter's absence potentially meaning playing time for a new signing in five-time Pro Bowler Richard Sherman.

Even in the midst of the New England Patriots' worst season for two decades, Bill Belichick has earned the right to be defiant.

Six Super Bowl titles, nine AFC championships and 17 AFC East crowns make for an unmatched resume for a coach widely considered the greatest of all time.

But his prickly response to a question about the Patriots' record in the draft likely came because he knows it is an area where they have not lived up to their lofty standards of late.

Belichick has been an excellent drafter for the majority of his time with the Patriots and he set New England up for the second leg of their dynasty by consistently hitting on premium picks in the first half of the last decade.

The 2010 draft saw the Patriots land Hall of Fame tight end Rob Gronkowski, 2012 netted them Chandler Jones and Dont'a Hightower while an offensive line pivotal to their success in the second half of the decade was built partially by the selections of Shaq Mason in 2015 and Joe Thuney in 2016.

However, since 2017 there has been a notable decline in production from Patriots draftees.

None of the players selected in that time have been named to a Pro Bowl, with the inability to add young talent to the roster reflected in their 3-5 record this year.

So while Belichick is in no mood to apologise, there will be picks he reflects on with regret.

Here we examine such selections by looking at his five biggest misses from the past four drafts.

Antonio Garcia - 2017: Round 3, Pick 85

Coming off their remarkable Super Bowl LI comeback against the Atlanta Falcons, there was hardly any pressure on the Patriots ahead of the 2017 draft.

Few will have therefore lost any sleep over the pick of offensive tackle Garcia, however. He was New England's second selection of a draft in which they made only four picks and proved a waste.

He was released in May 2018 having not played a game for the Patriots due to blood clots in his lungs.

Garcia is now out of the league following spells with the New York Jets, Indianapolis Colts and Miami Dolphins.

While his medical troubles were unfortunate, the selection of Garcia is one New England would surely like to have back.

Isaiah Wynn - 2018: Round 1, Pick 23

Wynn has finally cemented himself as a key member of the Patriots' offensive line after losing his rookie season to a torn Achilles and suffering further injury issues in 2019.

Patriots fans still may not be overly impressed with Wynn given Cam Newton has been the ninth-most pressured quarterback in the league this season.

Yet this pick is a miss not because of Wynn, but because of who New England passed over, with the Patriots wasting the first of two opportunities to pick the reigning MVP.

Sony Michel - 2018: Round, 1 Pick 31

After electing not to select Lamar Jackson nine picks earlier, the Patriots passed on the dual-threat quarterback again with the penultimate choice of the first round.

He went to the Baltimore Ravens one pick later, the pain of New England missing out on a successor to Tom Brady whom Bill Belichick could have reinvented his offense around furthered by his success with Baltimore and Michel's struggles.

Michel lacks the explosiveness he demonstrated at Georgia, with the injury-prone running back limited to just three games this year with a quad issue.

A back who struggles to find additional yardage, Michel averaged 1.8 yards after first contact per attempt in his first two seasons.

Given the elusiveness Jackson has continued to show as a runner, the pick of Michel over the league MVP looks worse with each passing week.

N'Keal Harry - 2019: Round 1, Pick 32

Belichick's blind spot when it comes to the draft has long been considered to be the wide receiver position.

Harry has done nothing to dispel that notion, his inability to hit the ground running as a rookie likely a contributing factor in Brady's decision to leave in search of better weapons in Tampa Bay.

He has 31 catches for 277 yards and three touchdowns since entering the league, averaging a disappointing 4.9 yards per target.

Jarrett Stidham - 2019: Round 4, Pick 133

Not much was made of the acquisition of Stidham in the draft immediately after the Patriots' sixth Super Bowl success, with a Brady departure looking unlikely at that point.

But a disappointing 2019 and Brady's subsequent divorce from the Patriots thrust him into the spotlight as his potential successor.

Yet the fact New England chose to sign Newton to be their quarterback rather than give Stidham a shot said everything about Belichick's opinion of the former Auburn star.

Stidham has attempted 27 passes in his NFL career, completing 13 for one touchdown and four interceptions.

The limited action Stidham has seen suggests Belichick's assessment of his quarterback room this offseason was correct.

However, that begs the question of what Belichick saw in Stidham in the first place. For all his success over his time in New England, the tough questions will continue if Belichick cannot improve his draft record and set the Patriots up for future glory.

Brady returned to New England for the first time since leaving the Patriots for the Buccaneers ahead of the 2020 season, having won six Super Bowls during his 19 years at Gillette Stadium.

The seven-time Super Bowl champion received a warm reception in his homecoming as the Buccaneers superstar broke Drew Brees' NFL passing yards record.

Brady, who finished 22-of-43 passing for 269 yards without a touchdown or interception, eclipsed the 80,291-yards mark in the opening quarter – the 44-year-old's 28-yard completion to Mike Evans seeing him surpass Brees.

Bill Belichick's New England (1-3) led 7-6 at half-time thanks to Mac Jones' 11-yard pass to Hunter Henry in the second quarter.

Ronald Jones II's eight-yard run helped the Buccaneers (3-1) reclaim the lead before Mac Jones' second TD pass of the night – a short completion to Jonnu Smith – tipped the contest back in the Patriots' favour to start the final period.

Mac Jones completed 19 consecutive passes, tying the longest streak in a single game by a Patriots quarterback in the last 30 years. That run was posted by Brady in Week 1 of the 2015 season.

The topsy-turvy clash continued as Ryan Succop and New England's Nick Folk traded field goals before the former converted a 48-yard kick to put Tampa Bay ahead inside the final two minutes following a seven-play, 45-yard drive led by Brady.

A desperate 56-yard field-goal attempt from Folk bounced off the upright in the final minute as Brady got the better of the Patriots and Belichick to join Brett Favre, Peyton Manning and Brees as the only QBs to defeat all 32 NFL franchises.

Brady will lead Super Bowl champions the Buccaneers (2-1) against former team the Patriots (1-2) on the road in Foxborough on Sunday.

The 44-year-old Brady won six Super Bowls with Belichick at the Patriots before leaving for the Buccaneers via free agency ahead of the 2020 season.

With Brady showing no signs of slowing down, long-serving Patriots coach Belichick hailed the five-time Super Bowl MVP.

"Nothing Tom does surprises me," Belichick told reporters on Wednesday.

"He's a great player, works hard, takes care of himself. He's talked about playing until 50. If anybody can do it, he probably can.

"Tom's had an unbelievable career. There's not enough superlatives and adjectives to compliment him on everything that he's achieved and continues to achieve.

"It's unbelievably impressive."

Brady has thrown for at least 1,000 yards and 10 touchdowns through his team's first three games for the second time in his career (also 2011). He is the only quarterback in NFL history to do that twice.

Tampa Bay's Brady will be looking to join Drew Brees, Brett Favre and Peyton Manning as the only starting quarterbacks to defeat all 32 teams in their careers.

Brady is also on the cusp of history, with the QB requiring just 68 yards to surpass Brees' NFL career passing yardage record of 80,358 yards.

"He's as tough as any quarterback there is or ever has been. Enough said. His numbers are incredible," Belichick added.

"He's about to pass the all-time passing record. He's done more than any other player at that position in whatever measurement you want to take – whether it's yards, completions, touchdowns, championships, you name it. Put anything out there that you want; it doesn't get any tougher than that."

Brady broke Drew Brees' NFL record and led Super Bowl champions the Buccaneers (3-1) past former team the Patriots (1-3) 19-17 on Sunday.

All eyes were on Brady as the seven-time Super Bowl champion made his first appearance in New England since leaving the Patriots for the Buccaneers ahead of the 2020 season, having won six rings at Gillette Stadium.

Brady received a warm welcome from Patriots fans, with the 44-year-old going on to eclipse Brees' mark of 80,291 yards and join Brett Favre, Peyton Manning and Brees as the only QBs to defeat all 32 NFL franchises.

"I just think it's amazing statistic in that so many people can share in it with me," Brady told reporters after finishing 22-of-43 passing for 269 yards without a touchdown or interception, while he rushed for three yards on four carries.

"Quarterback doesn't throw and catch. Quarterback can just throw it. It's yards. Passing yards have to be caught, so I just hope that everybody who caught passes from me over the years just had a little smile on their face tonight knowing they contributed to a very cool record."

"It's not that I would predict what would happen," Brady said. "There were a few emotional moments thinking about the people that meant so much in my life. My football journey took me somewhere else."

Brady shared an embrace with Patriots head coach Bill Belichick following the game, which saw a desperate 56-yard field-goal attempt from Nick Folk bounce off the upright in the final minute as the former got the better of New England.

"All of that is personal," Brady said when asked about what was said between him and Belichick. "We've had a lot of personal conversations that should remain that way.

"So much is made of our relationship... nothing is really accurate that I ever see. I have a lot of respect for him as a coach and this organisation."

"It was a tough, hard-fought game. It was a very typical Patriot-type weather. Very tough to come into the environment. I thought the fans did a great job. That little, what do they call that horn? That foghorn or whatever? That thing's loud," Brady said of the noise that plays before opponents' third-down plays.

"You don't think about it much when your defense is on the field. I just had to be on the field when that thing was going off."

It remains to be seen whether Brady will play another game in Foxborough as the five-time Super Bowl MVP said: "It's been a great stadium for me for a long time. I don't know what the future holds, obviously. So there could be an opportunity to come back here. So we'll see."

After the reunion, Belichick added: "We went against Tom Brady every day, every day in practice defensively. So it's not like we've never seen Tom Brady before."