When it comes to the ultimate fate of Bill Belichick as head coach of the New England Patriots, nothing has been set in stone just yet despite rumors that the franchise has already made up its mind to move on from the legendary mentor by the end of the 2023 NFL season, according to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network.

“The fate of Bill Belichick as head coach of the New England Patriots has not yet been decided. While the expectation is that a decision on his future will play out over the next month, sources also say it could take longer than that.”

The cloudy future of Bill Belichick with the Patriots is getting the spotlight

New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick

Rapoport also mentioned that while the Patriots are out of the running for a playoff spot with just three wins after 13 games, the remaining games on the team's schedule still carry lots of weight, particularly about Belichick's job.

“Sources say not only has owner Robert Kraft not come to a firm conclusion on what will happen next with his head-coaching situation, but the way New England finishes could go a long way in determining what's next.”

The Patriots have not been the same since Tom Brady left them in 2019. While there is no denying that Belichick is an all-time great as a head coach, it's also hard to refute assertions that New England has drastically lost much of its aura of invincibility since parting ways with the quarterback.

Whether this is Belichick's final season with the Patriots or not, he certainly would want to see his team perform at a high level and win games the rest of the way. They have a matchup versus the reigning Super Bowl champions Kansas City Chiefs in Week 15 at home before taking on the Denver Broncos and the Buffalo Bills — both on the road — in Weeks 16 and 17, respectively. They close out the season at home versus the visiting New York Jets in Week 18.

Belichick started his tenure with the Patriots in 1996 as an assistant head coach and defensive backs coach before becoming the team's head coach in 2000. Since then, he's steered New England to six Super Bowl titles.