Bill Belichick recently attended the New York Giants’ 40th anniversary of the franchise’s first Super Bowl winning team. Belichick met former players from that team during a private dinner. He left before the Giants’ victory over the Cardinals, including a halftime ceremony honoring the 1986 Giants.
Two members of the 2021 Patriots were noticeably absent from this weekend’s 25th anniversary celebration: Belichick and former quarterback Tom Brady.
Brady’s absence as a color commentator is understandable since he is on duty in Seattle. Belichick is busy, too, given his role as North Carolina’s coach. But if he could find time to attend the Giants’ anniversary, couldn’t he do the same for the ’01 Patriots?
There are two possible answers. Belichick might actually be busy, or it might be because he continues to harbor bad will about how his time in New England ended.
At the time, Patriots owner Robert Kraft called it a mutual separation, but as time went on, it became clear that Belichick was being fired after the 2023 season. Belichick didn’t appreciate how his exit was handled, and it affected his relationship with the franchise in the years that followed.
Last year, in his first year as the Tar Heels’ coach, Belichick admitted Patriots scouts were banned from North Carolina facilities.
“Obviously, I’m not welcome in their facility. So they’re not welcome in our facility,” Belichick said at the time.
Both Kraft and Belichick have changed public thorns since their separation. Kraft initially said he took a “huge risk” by trading Belichick (who was under contract with the Jets) to become the Patriots’ new coach before the 2000 season. Belichick responded by saying he was taking a risk by coming to New England.
“As I’ve told Robert many times over the years, I took a big risk taking the head coaching job with the New England Patriots,” Belichick told ESPN. “I already had the opportunity to be the head coach of the New York Jets, but the ownership situation was unstable.”
Kraft and Belichick enjoyed a historic partnership during their 23 seasons together, although the current situation between the two is not good. During that time, the Patriots won six Super Bowls, nine AFC titles and 17 division titles. It was the longest streak by a franchise in NFL history.
In 2001, the Patriots started a dynasty. After an 0-2 start, the ’01 Patriots finished the regular season with an 11-5 record. New England won 11-3 after Brady replaced the injured Drew Bledsoe in the starting lineup. Brady’s steady play complemented a defense that allowed an average of just 17 points per game.
The Patriots ran the table in the playoffs, defeating the Raiders, Steelers and Rams to win the franchise’s first Super Bowl title. The 20-17 win over Los Angeles is still one of the biggest upsets in Super Bowl history.
The success of that team was celebrated on Sunday. Patriots fans gave the team a standing ovation at halftime of New England’s recent win over the Raiders.
Belichick was absent Sunday, but future Patriots will have more opportunities to participate in Super Bowl teams. For example, the 25th anniversary of the 2003 team will take place in 2028.
Kraft also hinted at this Building a statue for Belichicka gesture that could force the team’s former coach to return to his old stomping ground.