Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots missed the playoffs for the second time in three seasons after a 35-23 loss to the Buffalo Bills on Sunday afternoon. It was a tough pill to swallow for Pats fans, who were oh so close to advancing to their first postseason without Tom Brady since 2019.

Although the 8-9 Patriots finished on the outside looking in when the dust settled in Week 18, there is still one bright light in Massachusetts: Belichick is planning to return to the team as head coach in 2023.

The 71-year-old confirmed on Monday morning that he wants to return for a 24th season at the helm of the franchise. Belichick preached accountability across the board in his video conference on Monday, starting with him.

“We need better results, that's the bottom line,” he said, adding that the process starts today. “It'll be a comprehensive course of action.”

The eight-time Super Bowl champion will meet with owner Robert Kraft, like he does every year, along with the coaches and players in the offseason.

New England capped off the 2022 season with Sunday's loss to the Bills as the franchise continues to look for postseason success following the Tom Brady era. Since his departure for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2020, the team has gone 7-9, 10-7 and now 8-9.

The Patriots made the playoffs last season but got crushed by the Bills in the Wild Card playoffs, 47-17. Since Belichick took the head coaching job in 2000, the Pats have won six Super Bowls and accumulated a 262-108 record under the legendary coach.

They'll be looking for better results next season, but at the least, they'll still have Bill Belichick at the helm.