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Patriots to Promote Covington

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FOXBOROUGH – (Wire Service Report) – The New England Patriots will promote defensive line coach DeMarcus Covington to defensive coordinator, according to multiple media reports Saturday.

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Covington, 34, would be the first staff hire for new head coach Jerod Mayo, who recently was promoted as an assistant to replace longtime head coach Bill Belichick.

The Patriots hired Covington as an assistant in 2017 and he moved up to defensive line coach in 2020.

Belichick often called the defensive plays, with the last defensive coordinator title held by Matt Patricia in 2017.

–Field Level Media

WIDE RIGHT (Again)

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BUFFALO – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – KC Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes threw two touchdown passes to Travis Kelce and the Kansas City Chiefs advanced to the AFC Championship Game for the sixth consecutive season with a 27-24 victory over the Buffalo Bills on Sunday night.

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Buffalo had a chance to tie the score but Tyler Bass was way wide right on a 44-yard field-goal attempt with 1:43 remaining. Pacheco then rushed for a first down on Kansas City’s second play as the Chiefs ran out the clock.

Isiah Pacheco rushed for 97 yards and the go-ahead touchdown on 15 carries for third-seeded Kansas City. Mahomes completed 17 of 23 passes for 215 yards in his first career road postseason game and Kelce had five receptions for 75 yards for the Chiefs. Kansas City will visit the top-seeded Baltimore Ravens next Sunday for a Super Bowl berth.

Josh Allen rushed for two touchdowns and passed for one for Buffalo. Allen completed 26 of 39 passes for 186 yards and rushed for 72 yards on 12 carries and Khalil Shakir caught a touchdown pass for the second-seeded Bills.

Buffalo had a 16-play, 54-yard drive stall at the Kansas City 26-yard line before Bass’ wide right boot brought back memories of Scott Norwood’s 47-yard miss in the loss to the New York Giants in Super Bowl XXV nearly 33 years ago.

Mahomes and Kelce set a record for combining on 16 postseason touchdown passes. The former New England Patriots duo of Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski held the old mark of 15.

Buffalo possessed the ball for 37:03 and ran 78 plays to Kansas City’s 47.

The three touchdown drives of the second half were all 75 yards long.

Kansas City took a 20-17 lead on Mahomes’ 3-yard scoring pass to Kelce with 11:48 left in the third.

Allen connected with Shakir on a 13-yard throw to give Buffalo a four-point lead with 3:23 left in the third quarter.

The Chiefs regained the lead at 27-24 on Pacheco’s 4-yard run 40 seconds into the final quarter.

Allen’s 2-yard scoring run with 26 seconds left in the first half gave the Bills a 17-13 lead at the break. Buffalo had a 41-21 edge in offensive plays and a 235-167 advantage in total offense.

The teams traded field goals in the first quarter, beginning with Bass’ 27-yarder for the Bills and followed by Harrison Butker’s 47-yarder for the Chiefs.

Allen scored on a 5-yard run to give Buffalo a 10-3 lead with 13:32 left in the first half. Butker kicked a 29-yard field goal to bring Kansas City within four with 9:12 remaining.

The Chiefs took a 13-10 lead when Mahomes tossed a 22-yard touchdown pass to Kelce with 3:33 to go.

–Field Level Media

Detroit Advances to NFC Championship

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DETROIT – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Detroit Lions QB Jared Goff passed for 287 yards and two touchdowns and the Detroit Lions advanced to the NFC championship game with a 31-23 victory over the visiting Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday afternoon.

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Seeking their first Super Bowl berth, the Lions will travel to California to face the San Francisco 49ers next Sunday. Detroit will be playing in the conference title game for the first time since the 1991 season.

Jahymr Gibbs rushed for 74 yards, including the go-ahead 31-yard score in the fourth quarter. Amon-Ra St. Brown caught eight passes for 77 yards and a touchdown, while Sam LaPorta had nine receptions for 65 yards for Detroit.

Baker Mayfield passed for 349 yards and three touchdowns with two interceptions for the Bucs. Mike Evans caught eight passes for 147 yards and a touchdown.

Derrick Barnes’ interception of Mayfield with 1:33 remaining clinched Detroit’s victory.

The game was tied at 10 at halftime.

Detroit struck first on Michael Badgley’s 23-yard field goal. Tampa Bay answered with Chase McLaughlin’s 43-yard field goal.

The Lions regained the lead early in the second quarter on Goff’s 9-yard scoring pass to Josh Reynolds.

McLaughlin banged a 50-yard field goal attempt off the left upright with 2:24 remaining in the half.

The Bucs tied it with 15 seconds left on a 92-yard drive that took just 1:13. Evans’ diving 29-yard reception set up Mayfield’s 2-yard scoring pass to Cade Otton.

Detroit regained the lead with 3:48 left in the third quarter. Craig Reynolds scored on a 1-yard plunge on fourth-and-goal.

Tampa Bay answered again as Rachaad White scored on a 12-yard screen pass from Mayfield with 10 seconds left in the third.

The Lions struck back quickly, as Gibbs burst through a hole and scored from 31 yards out with 13:13 left to make it 24-17.

After Detroit forced a punt, its offense drove 89 yards to increase the lead. Goff hooked up with St. Brown on a 9-yard pass play to finish it off.

Mayfield completed a 16-yard touchdown pass to Evans with 4:37 left. Evans had a 24-yard reception on fourth-and-14 earlier in the drive. The Bucs attempted a two-point conversion but the pass was broken up.

–Field Level Media

NFL Playoffs: Sunday Night Preview

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Sunday Night Game – January 21

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Kansas City Chiefs (12-6) at Buffalo Bills (12-6)

Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs are in the unfamiliar position of playing on the road in January. Mahomes, 12-3 for his career in the playoffs, can reach the conference championship for a record-tying sixth consecutive season by knocking off Josh Allen and the Bills. Their previous playoff matchup was an epic, back-and-forth fight the Chiefs won (42-36) in overtime in the 2021 AFC Divisional Playoffs on Jan. 23, 2022. Mahomes’ lone visit to play the Bills occurred during the 2020 season when stadiums were empty due to COVID-19. Kansas City won 26-17. Since that contest, the Chiefs and Bills have met five times, all in Kansas City over a span of 34-plus months. The Chiefs twice eliminated the Bills from the playoffs — 38-24 in the 2020 season AFC title game and the OT victory the following season. But Buffalo’s 20-17 win this season at Arrowhead Stadium on Dec. 10 proved big, eventually leading to the Bills being the No. 2 seed and relegating Kansas City to No. 3. A critical matchup in that game and this one: Chiefs CB L’Jarius Snead against Bills WR Stefon Diggs. Diggs caught only one of his three passes in the December game with Snead in coverage and it went for 3 yards. If Bills QB Allen gets to meet Mahomes postgame wearing a smile Sunday night, he’ll likely have a lot to do with the outcome. Allen has thrived in the postseason with three-plus TD passes and a passer rating of at least 90 in four of his past five playoff games. He’s no slouch facing Mahomes, either. Allen has 17 TDs (15 passing) and three INTs in six career games against the Chiefs. Kansas City defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo expects the Bills to focus on mismatches they can create with a pair of talented tight ends, Dawson Knox and rookie Dalton Kincaid. Both had TDs in the wild-card win over the Steelers last week. Buffalo won’t be able to count on Chiefs-killer Gabe Davis, the wide receiver who caught four TDs in the 2021 playoffs at Arrowhead Stadium. He was ruled out with a knee injury.

–Field Level Media

Niners Turn Back the Pack

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SANTA CLARA – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – SF 49ers RB Christian McCaffrey rushed for two touchdowns, including the go-ahead score with 1:07 left, and San Francisco held on to beat the Green Bay Packers 24-21 in an NFC divisional round playoff matchup on Saturday night in California.

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SF QB Brock Purdy completed 23 of 39 passes for 252 yards and a touchdown for the 49ers, who advanced to the NFC Championship for the third consecutive season. Linebacker Dre Greenlaw picked off two passes, including one in the final minute to seal the win.

San Francisco will host the winner of Sunday’s showdown between the host Detroit Lions and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for the opportunity to advance to the Super Bowl.

Jordan Love completed 21 of 34 passes for 194 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions for Green Bay. Aaron Jones had 18 carries for 108 yards.
The high-stakes contest featured three lead changes in the third quarter.

The Packers grabbed a 13-7 lead on a 19-yard pass from Love to Bo Melton with 9:27 to go in the quarter.

Less than two minutes later, the 49ers answered to grab a 14-13 lead. McCaffrey took a handoff, evaded a would-be tackler and sprinted up the middle of the field for a 39-yard touchdown.

The back-and-forth battle continued as the Packers scored on the next possession. Eric Wilson recovered a fumble on a 73-yard kickoff return by Keisan Nixon, setting the Packers up at the Niners’ 20.

Four plays later, Love found Tucker Kraft open near the front right pylon for a 2-yard touchdown. Love then connected with Jones for a two-point conversion for a 21-14 Packers lead with 5:23 left in the third.

The 49ers pulled within 21-17 on a 52-yard field goal by Jake Moody with 14:56 remaining in the game.

The Packers tried to grab a seven-point lead midway through the fourth quarter, but Anders Carlson missed a 41-yard field goal attempt with 6:18 to go.

Green Bay had the only score of the first quarter with a 29-yard field goal by Carlson.

The 49ers grabbed a 7-3 lead with 8:42 remaining in the second when Purdy connected with George Kittle for a 32-yard touchdown.
Carlson hit again from 29 yards to pull Green Bay within 7-6 before halftime.

San Francisco star wideout Deebo Samuel exited in the first half because of a shoulder injury and was later ruled out. Samuel, who finished with two catches for 24 yards, was evaluated after a helmet-to-helmet hit in the first half.

–Field Level Media

Jackson, Ravens Crush Texans

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BALTIMORE – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Ravens QB Lamar Jackson threw for two touchdowns and ran for two more on Saturday as top-seeded Baltimore pulled away from the visiting Houston Texans in the second half for a 34-10 victory in an AFC divisional playoff game.

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The Ravens will host either the Bills or Chiefs in the AFC Championship Game. Buffalo and Kansas City are set to play today in the other AFC semifinal.

Baltimore broke the game open with 24 unanswered points in the second half, finding the end zone on each of its first three possessions following the break.

Jackson snapped a 10-10 tie with a 15-yard scoring run less than three minutes into the third quarter, capping a 55-yard drive. He made it 24-10 on the second play of the fourth quarter, rolling right and flipping a 15-yard touchdown pass to Isaiah Likely to finish a 93-yard drive that lasted 7:03.

Jackson sealed the victory with 6:20 left in the game, running 8 yards for a TD to complete a march that ate up 7:10. He completed 16 of 22 passes for 152 yards while gaining 100 yards on 11 carries for the game.

Rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud struggled with the Baltimore defense. He hit on 19 of 33 passes for 175 yards and failed to get the Houston offense into the end zone for the second time in as many meetings with the Ravens. Yet the Texans, who routed the Cleveland Browns in the wild-card round, nearly led at halftime.

Houston answered Jackson’s 3-yard touchdown pass to Nelson Agholor with 9:14 left in the second quarter with some special-teams magic. Steven Sims grabbed a line-drive punt at his 33, burst up the middle, broke a weak tackle attempt and sprinted 67 yards for a game-tying touchdown at the 4:17 mark of the second.

The Texans threatened to take the lead late in the quarter, but Ka’imi Fairbairn, who connected on a 50-yard field goal with 28 seconds left in the first quarter, pushed a 47-yard attempt wide right with 32 seconds remaining.

Justin Tucker opened the scoring for Baltimore with a 53-yard field goal at the 8:36 mark of the first quarter. He also closed the scoring with a 43-yarder.

–Field Level Media

Patriots: Time for Jerod Mayo Impact

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FOXBOROUGH – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Jerod Mayo plans to take the lessons he learned from his predecessor and make the Patriots his own.

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Mayo was introduced as head coach in New England on Wednesday, his first day in the seat previously occupied by six-time Super Bowl championship coach Bill Belichick.

“For me, I’m not trying to be Bill, I’m not trying to be Bill. I think that Bill is his own man, if you can’t tell by now, I’m even a little bit different up here,” said Mayo. “But what I will say is, the more I think about the lessons that I’ve taken from Bill, hard work works, right? Hard work works. And that’s what we’re all about.”

Mayo was drafted by the Patriots and worked as an assistant coach under Belichick. He has never played for or coached any other NFL team.

The Patriots were 4-13 and again finished outside of the playoff picture in the AFC, leading to a “mutual” parting between Belichick and owner Robert Kraft after 24 years and nine Super Bowl appearances.

Mayo, who won a Super Bowl with New England as an inside linebacker, joined the Patriots’ coaching staff in 2019. He was quickly promoted to head coach under terms of his contract that named him as the successor to Belichick.

He hinted at changes, some of which will align the Patriots with traditional NFL coaching staff structure to include official titles of defensive coordinator and offensive coordinator. There will be movement on the personnel side, too. The Patriots own the No. 3 pick in the 2024 draft.

Mayo was clear about what he’s looking for on his roster and sounds ready to tackle reshaping the offense

“First of all, just the energy, the passion, the leaders on the offensive side of the ball,” Mayo said. “I think you have to get that stuff in place, and honestly, as the season starts to roll, well this season when it ends, we start in the weight room. I think the weight room is one of the most important areas in the building to really evaluate the people you have on your team. And one thing we don’t want to do is have people who are complainers, or finger-pointing, or things like that.”

Belichick could continue coaching and interviewed with the Atlanta Falcons this week.

–Field Level Media

NFL Playoff Predictions

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LAS VEGAS – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The NFL playoffs run all weekend through Monday night as the league spreads the wealth for its fans.

Speaking of spreads, that Buffalo line feels a little high. And that Rams-Lions matchup just might have the wrong team favored.

See how this primary wager developed, along with a bonus play and a player prop below.

SUNDAY HEADLINERS

Pittsburgh Steelers at Buffalo Bills (-10), 1 p.m. ET on CBS
Los Angeles Rams at Detroit Lions (-3), 8 p.m. ET on NBC

We will use adjusted lines to produce a two-leg parlay on this pair of playoff games.

First up: The case for a closer-than-expected, bad-weather matchup between flawed teams.

By now, sports-betting fans are not fooled by the Buffalo Bills. This is a flashy-looking team with middling results that needed a punt return TD to help win its Week 18 game in Miami.

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Josh Allen is an elite quarterback who will throw into small windows and risk interceptions. His legs provide the extra element in his array of tools; there’s no doubt he’s entertaining to watch.

The issue is whether his Bills can maintain an adequate ground attack, which should be an easier task against the Steelers’ addled defense (all-world linebacker TJ Watt is injured and will miss Sunday’s game).

But Pittsburgh has prospered by using a cold-weather offense with running back Najee Harris’ physical presence leading the ground attack. This not only will provide some scoring opportunities, but also will help shorten the game — and lessen the chances for a blowout.

It’s been snowing all week in Buffalo and flurries are expected Sunday, but the wind gusts of 20-30 miles per hour would conspire to keep Allen somewhat grounded.

Buffalo is good enough to pound out a victory; the Steelers gained only 289 yards last week against a Baltimore Ravens team resting its top defensive players.

Against all odds, though, Mason Rudolph has quarterbacked Pittsburgh to some success the past few weeks and isn’t likely to be rattled by playoff pressure.

Pressure is something the Lions will say has no effect on their Sunday matchup with the Rams, but LA knows about Detroit QB Jared Goff.

Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris has plenty of research and options to exploit Goff’s shortcomings.

The LA offense, though, has been a shining reason for the Rams’ 7-1 record to close the regular season.

Matthew Stafford is the better QB in this matchup, Kyren Williams is the top running back and although Detroit’s Amon-Ra St. Brown is arguably the top talent at wide receiver, the Rams’ receiver room is the better of the two teams.

Cooper Kupp has seen his health and production improve, and LA has benefited from a shocking rookie season from Puka Nacua. There are just too many options for the Lions to handle.

Want trends? According to Action Network, home teams winning their last game in the regular season by 10 points or fewer — as Detroit did — stand 17-30-3 (36 percent) against the spread (ATS) in their first playoff game (trend covers the past 20 years).

The Rams have to feel as if they are playing with house money. The Lions have to feel excited just to be back in the playoffs, along with a mix of anxious desperation to please a very hungry city without a home playoff win in 30 years.

On that note, home playoff teams that failed to make the prior season’s playoffs are only 13-29 (31 percent) ATS in the first playoff game.

The bet: Two-leg parlay featuring adjusted line, the Steelers +17.5 with the Rams +7.5 (-118 at DraftKings.)

THEY SAID IT

“I so badly want to win a playoff game for this city, that hasn’t had one in so long. That’s so much more important than anything personally for me.”

–Lions quarterback Jared Goff

BONUS PLAY

Philadelphia Eagles at Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 8:15 p.m. ET Monday.
Eagles -3, total 44

The Eagles are grasping for an explanation; the Bucs have a banged-up quarterback.

Baker Mayfield is preparing to play through ankle and rib injuries for Tampa Bay against Philadelphia, which went 1-5 to finish the season.

This Monday game provides dessert after a five-course NFL weekend meal, but it’s not terribly tasty. In fact, the play here is to fade the excitement.

A trend to spotlight comes from the laboratory at Vegas Insider, which found this game’s total to have encouraged enough “under” betting action to qualify.

The past season and a half, when 56 percent or more of the money is showing up on the “under,” the bet has a mark of 45-29 ATS (60.8 percent) to the “under.”

It’s not just sharp money, either. The number of bets (at 56 percent or better), too, brought a record of 35-22 (61.4 percent) to the under.

Both “under” stats were qualifying as of Thursday.

The bet: Eagles-Buccaneers UNDER 44.

PROP CORNER

Steelers coach Mike Tomlin will gladly try to shove Harris down the Bills’ throats.

If the wind kicks up in Buffalo, this will be an even better option. Grab the “over” 15.5 carries as soon as you can.

Prop play: Steelers running back Najee Harris “over” 15.5 carries. (-114 at FanDuel.)

–Field Level Media

Guess Kraft Thinks He Can Do Better?

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FOXBOROUGH – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – New England Patriots’ franchise owner Robert Kraft said he dreamed about an opportunity to own the team from the metal bleachers as a fan in 1971 and figured he had a greater chance to be a starting quarterback.

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“Never imagined we would go to the Super Bowl 10 times,” the New England Patriots team leader told media members on Thursday afternoon, standing alongside Bill Belichick in a joint press conference to confirm they are going their separate ways.

During the parting-of-the-ways press conference, Kraft called Belichick the “greatest coach of all time.”

Later, he said there was no power struggle despite reports that personnel control was at the root of the divide in the organization. Kraft said he simply came to the conclusion that the past three seasons weren’t good enough. He said he and Belichick weren’t on the same page regarding how to get the Patriots back to contender status, which led to discussions about Belichick leaving New England after 24 seasons.

A Monday meeting with Belichick took place prior to the decision to part, which both parties said was mutual, and embrace change.

Kraft said he will quickly shift toward finding a new coach, with inside linebackers coach Jerod Mayo handling the coaching duties to start the offseason.

“We’re looking for someone who can help us get back to the playoffs and win,” Kraft said. “Believe me, after my family, this is one of the most important assets in my life. I promise you I’ll be focused to do the best we can do to put ourselves in the best long-term position to win for many years.”

The Patriots were 4-13 in 2023 after going 8-9 in 2022. Kraft said he knew something “wasn’t right,” but needed to discuss with Belichick whether it was coaching or personnel.

While neither shared the exact conclusion or answer to that question, the end result is Belichick hitting the exits.

Kraft said he might’ve allowed Belichick to have too much power over personnel matters as New England’s Lombardi Trophy collection expanded. But Kraft believed he earned it.

“I don’t think it happened until after the third Super Bowl, he earned it and it worked pretty well most of the time,” Kraft said. “I think it’s good to have checks and balances.”

Belichick plans to coach again and chase Don Shula for the NFL’s all-time wins record, Kraft said.

“The last three years have been pretty tough and isn’t what we want. And we have a responsibility to fix it to the best of our ability,” Kraft said.

In discussions about possibly trading Belichick, Kraft said he felt it wasn’t the right thing to do, harkening back to the same decision made when Tom Brady was allowed to leave in free agency and choose his own destination.

“Given what they’ve done for the franchise, I think they’ve earned that right,” Kraft said.

Belichick and Brady went to nine Super Bowls together, winning six.

–Field Level Media

Belichick Out as Patriots’ Coach

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FOXBOROUGH – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Coach Bill Belichick, the architect of six Super Bowl-winning teams with the New England Patriots, is ending his 24-year run as the team’s head coach, multiple outlets reported today. ESPN reported the two sides have agreed to mutually part ways after “productive talks resulted in a mutual decision that left both sides comfortable and at ease.”

A team press conference is scheduled for Noon, January 11th. – (Breaking Story with Follow-up)

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While Belichick has one year remaining on his contract, ESPN reported that the Patriots will not attempt to trade him to another team and will allow him to pursue other head-coaching opportunities.

Belichick becomes the third coaching legend in two days to depart his role. Super Bowl-winning coach Pete Carroll and the Seattle Seahawks split Wednesday after 14 seasons. Alabama head coach Nick Saban — a close friend of Belichick’s — also announced his retirement after 17 seasons and six national titles in Tuscaloosa and seven overall.

Seven other NFL teams have openings for a head coach, and the 71-year-old Belichick is expected to draw interest from some of those franchises. Speculation is that the Atlanta Falcons, who fired head coach Arthur Smith on Sunday, will be at the head of the line to talk to Belichick.

Belichick leaves New England with a 266-121 record in the regular season, plus a 30-12 mark in the postseason. His NFL head-coaching career began with the Cleveland Browns (1991-95), where he was 36-44 in the regular season and 1-1 in the postseason.

His 333 career wins are second only to Don Shula’s 347. Belichick, George Halas and Curly Lambeau are the only NFL coaches with six titles.

In Belichick’s 24 seasons, the Patriots won 17 AFC East titles, went to 13 AFC championship games and played in nine Super Bowls.

“This is the best coach that ever lived,” former Patriots linebacker Tedy Bruschi said Thursday on ESPN’s “Get Up.”

“Bill Belichick could get every drop of physical ability, mental ability, football-playing ability out of you somehow, some way … and if you were a player that wanted to win championships, that’s exactly what you wanted.”

Belichick turned around a middling franchise that never had won a title and created a dynasty.

In his first season with the Patriots, in 2000, the team was 5-11. The next season, after quarterback Drew Bledsoe was injured, Belichick inserted second-year player Tom Brady into the lineup, and the duo won its first of six Super Bowls with a 20-17 victory over the then-St. Louis Rams in Super Bowl XXXVI.

Brady left the Patriots for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2020 in free agency, and the Patriots were 29-38 without him, including 4-13 this season.

Finding Belichick’s replacement will be the next step for Kraft. Among the early leading candidates is believed to be 37-year-old Jerod Mayo, who played linebacker for the Patriots from 2008-15 and has been on Belichick’s staff since 2019.

–Field Level Media