Philadelphia Eagles v New England Patriots
Philadelphia Eagles v New England Patriots / Adam Glanzman/GettyImages

There is a big change ahead for the AFC East as the New England Patriots will enter an NFL season for the first time in over 20 seasons without Bill Belichick on the sidelines.  As strange as it will seem to see no hoodie leading the team, it was even more bewildering for Patriots fans to see Tom Brady in another uniform.

That’s where Robert Kraft can now look back and say he made a big mistake.  In hindsight, that is easy to say given Brady still played three strong seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, including a Super Bowl championship.  In the meantime, the Patriots have gone through four seasons of mediocrity as a team under Belichick and uncertainly at the quarterback position.

Kraft admitted he sided with Belichick at the time when the coach said Brady’s best years were behind them, but the owner apparently had regret about allowing Brady to finish his illustrious NFL career with another franchise.

Patriots owner Robert instantly regretted believing Bill Belichick’s Tom Brady assessment

In a recent interview with the Boston Globe, Tom Brady Sr. shed some light on that giant mistake Kraft admitted he made back in 2020.

“He just said, ‘I made a mistake.’ He told us that back in September,” Brady Sr. told the Globe, via CBS Sports. “We don’t all make the right decisions, but he’s made a hell of a lot of good ones over the years. But I know that it galls him that Tommy went elsewhere and won. Not that he won, but that he won after Bill (Belichick) said he was done.”

That decision still must sting for Kraft and had to be one of the reasons the Patriots owner decided to move on from Belichick following a 4-13 season.  Furthermore, the current roster is in a state of flux as some key players are entering free agency, the offensive line needs a massive uphaul and the team will have a decision to make when it comes to Mac Jones.

What’s ahead for Kraft and the Patriots?  As new head coach Jerod Mayo continues to fill out his coaching staff, all attention will turn to free agency and the 2024 NFL Draft where the team hopes to draft their next franchise quarterback.

Hopefully, the team will aim towards making the right decisions and prove moving on from Belichick was one of those decisions.