The New England Patriots find themselves in unfamiliar territory over the last 24 seasons. After mutually agreeing to part ways with Bill Belichick, they are now in a position where they have a vacancy for a new head coach.
Finding a succession plan for Belichick, who is widely regarded as the greatest coach in NFL history, won’t be easy. Even if the team did fall off a cliff after the Tom Brady era, an argument could be made that things would have looked even worse with a lesser coach.
Belichick’s decision-making as a de facto general manager ultimately led to his undoing in New England more so than his coaching ability. Under his watch, the Patriots still had one of the best defenses in football, and they showed fight against significantly more talented teams.
But a 4-13 finish obviously wasn’t going to cut it.
The Patriots are looking to throw a fresh coat of paint on the franchise and get back to being a perennial contender. Here are seven coaching candidates to keep an eye on as potential replacements for Belichick: