FOXBOROUGH, Mass. Bill Belichick turns 70 in April. He says he still wants the coaching job in 2022. New England PatriotsTeam was rocked at by the Buffalo Bills 47-17Saturday night’s wild-card round of AFC playoffs.
Belichick is the NFL’s longest serving head coach. He once said that he didn’t have plans to coach into his 70s, like Marv Levy, the former Bills coach. Later, he softened his remarks.
He was asked Sunday morning if it was safe for him to say that he wanted to return next year. His response: “I would say that would be correct.”
Belichick conducted a 30-minute video conference to end the season after the team returned from Orchard Park in New York. In it, he reviewed the Patriots’ 10-8 record, his 22nd as head coaching. He said he was going to “take a longer view”, while acknowledging the troubling blowout loss.
He stated that while there are elements of the game from last night in other games, last night’s was the most competitive. “Is this what we are?” Is that a bad night? I suppose we’ll find out next year when we play again.”
The Bills are the AFC East champions in the last two seasons. scored touchdowns on their first seven drivesThis was the first playoff win by a team.
Belichick noted that the Patriots’ season included a 2-4 record and a winning streak of seven games before the team lost their last five games.
Belichick stated that “certainly last night’s match was important” and that he wasn’t trying to minimize it. However, 17 other meaningful games exist, so there are 18 total. He said that he thinks we should look at them all and consider how we can improve our coaching, playing, schematically and any adjustments that we might need. As it has always been, that will be a meticulous process.
Belichick publicly thanked his team’s players, coaches, and support staff, saying that he was grateful for their ability to “adapt and professionally do the right things” and that they were “able to do things the right and professional way.”
Asked about rookie quarterback Mac JonesBelichick, who played in all 18 games, said that Mac helped them a lot. I look forward working with him next season.”
Belichick is the only NFL head coach to have won six Super Bowl championships. His career record is 321-156 (including playoffs). On the list of head coaches’ career wins, he is third to Don Shula (347), and George Halas (324).