New England Patriots part ways with legendary coach Bill Belichick after 24 years

It's the end of an era in the NFL after one of the game’s most storied coaches has finally been moved on in surprising scenes.

Belichick and Tom Brady after the 205 Super Bowl win. Photo by Matt West/MediaNews Group/Boston Herald via Getty Images

Bill Belichick has been sensationally fired by the New England Patriots after a disastrous season.

The legendary head coach, 71, leaves following 24 years and six Super Bowl wins with the team.

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Belichick’s iconic run with the Patriots comes to an end after multiple showdown talks with owner Robert Kraft.

Per NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport, Belichick leaves after “three days of meetings” and “is now out” of the organisation.

His departure comes after a dreadful season, which saw the Pats rank last in the AFC East with a 4-13 record – marking New England’s worst finish since 1992.

The Bill Belichick era is finally over. Photo by Winslow Townson/Getty Images

It is unlikely the 71-year-old will retire with the Tennessee native reportedly enjoying lots of interest in his services from NFL teams.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter claims Belichick and the Patriots will officially “part ways” on Thursday.

Also, the NFL icon said he still enjoys coaching as he answered questions about his future after the Week 18 loss to the New York Jets.

Belichick seemingly wanted to return to Foxboro for another season and even suggested he would be open to relinquishing his general manager duties for the greater good of the Pats.

“I’m for whatever collectively we decide as an organisation is the best thing to help our football team,” he said the day after the season-ending loss to the Jets.

“I’m under contract. I’m going to do what I always do, which is every day I come in, work as hard as I can to help the team in whatever way I can. So that’s what I’m going to continue to do.”

Belichick has had control over the team’s football operations since Kraft hired him as head coach in 2000.

Bill Belichick had the worst year of his tenure. Photo by Winslow Townson / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP

He reunited with the Patriots four years after serving as their assistant head coach and defensive backs coach during the 1996 NFL season.

Belichick took the job having already won two championship rings while working as a defensive co-ordinator for the New York Giants between 1985-1990.

His first Super Bowl win with the Pats came in his second season with the team – coinciding with Tom Brady taking the starting quarterback job from Drew Bledsoe.

The triumph started the Patriot Way era in Foxboro, driven by Brady’s competitiveness and Belichick’s ruthless coaching style

Belichick leaves with a remarkable regular NFL season record of 266-120.

In the postseason, he went 30-12 and reached 9 Super Bowls in total, winning six.

This story first appeared in The US Sun and was republished with permission.

Originally published as New England Patriots part ways with legendary coach Bill Belichick after 24 years