Okay, so get this: Bill Belichick, the guy who basically built the Pats dynasty, totally blew off their 25th-anniversary celebration for the 2001 Super Bowl squad this weekend! And you know who *wasn’t* there either, but had a totally legit excuse? Tom Brady, who was right here in the Emerald City, on assignment as a color commentator, while our Seahawks fought tooth and nail against the 49ers in a heartbreaker at Lumen Field, falling 32-29. But Belichick? His absence is a whole other story, a raw one that just keeps getting uglier.
The Ultimate Cold Shoulder
Can you even believe this? Belichick skipping the party for the team that kicked off *his own* historic run, the 2001 Patriots? It’s wild! This dude actually *did* make time recently to link up with former players from the New York Giants’ 1986 Super Bowl team for their 40th anniversary. He even hit a private dinner with them! Yeah, he left before their game against the Cardinals and the halftime ceremony, but still, he *showed up* for them. But for *his* guys? For the team that started it all? Nah. Belichick’s the North Carolina coach now, and sure, he’s busy. But if he could fit in a trip for the Giants, why not the Patriots? There are two options: either he was genuinely slammed, or the bad blood from his exit in New England is still boiling over.
The Grudge Match That Just Won’t Quit
And let me tell you, that “bad blood” theory? It’s looking pretty damn likely. Robert Kraft, the Patriots owner, tried to call it a “mutual parting” after the 2023 season, but come on, we all know Belichick got forced out. And he did NOT like how that whole thing went down. It’s messed with his relationship with the franchise for years now. Remember last year, when he first took the Tar Heels job? He flat out said Patriots scouts were barred from North Carolina facilities. His quote then? “It’s clear I’m not welcome there at their facility. So they’re not welcome at ours.” Boom. Talk about dropping a hammer! Kraft and Belichick have been slinging public barbs back and forth since the split. Kraft initially said bringing Belichick in back in 2000 was a “big risk” because he was under contract with the Jets. Belichick’s response? He took the risk by coming to New England, with that whole “unstable ownership situation” with the Jets. This isn’t some quiet disagreement, this is full-blown beef, still simmering.
It’s a real shame to see such a legendary partnership end with so much bitterness. For 23 seasons, Belichick and Kraft built an NFL empire together: six Super Bowls, nine AFC titles, 17 division titles. It was the longest sustained run of success in league history, all kicked off by that 2001 team who fought back from 0-2, going 11-3 after Brady stepped in for Drew Bledsoe, with that defense only giving up 17 points a game as they smashed the Raiders, Steelers, and Rams in the playoffs. What a run! You gotta wonder what’s next for Belichick and this ongoing spat. Will they ever bury the hatchet? Probably not while he’s still out there coaching. Meanwhile, we’ll be here rooting on our Hawks, hoping for a better outcome than today against the 49ers, and watching to see if these two ever get past this drama. You know we’ll be talking about it.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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