It doesn’t appear that the band is breaking up after all.
On Monday, Bill Belichick called last week’s ESPN report, which depicted a fractured relationship inside Gillette Stadium, "baseless." Belichick also said he plans to be back as the Patriots coach next season.
The story reported that Belichick was issued a mandate by Patriots owner Robert Kraft to trade Jimmy Garoppolo. The report states the coach was demoralized and furious. Asked about it on Monday, [...]
It doesn’t appear that the band is breaking up after all.
On Monday, Bill Belichick called last week’s ESPN report, which depicted a fractured relationship inside Gillette Stadium, “baseless.” Belichick also said he plans to be back as the Patriots coach next season.
The story reported that Belichick was issued a mandate by Patriots owner Robert Kraft to trade Jimmy Garoppolo. The report states the coach was demoralized and furious. Asked about it on Monday, Belichick refused to comment directly, but didn’t back down from the Patriots joint statement (from himself, Kraft and Tom Brady) that said the story was false.
“First of all, I don’t know really what you’re talking about,” Belichick said when asked if he was demoralized. “Again, I haven’t read the article. I don’t know what that refers to. We’ve been through this before. I know you want to report on things that are inaccurate and unattributable and I’m not really interested in responding to all those random, and I would say in a lot of cases baseless, comments.”
When asked if he had a mandate to trade Garoppolo, Belichick responded, “I haven’t read the article. I’ve already commented at length about the situation. Nothing’s happened since then. I don’t have anything to add to it.”
To add to the drama, there was a report in the New York Daily News that Belichick had interest in becoming the head coach of the New York Giants.
“Right now, my interest is trying to do the best I can for our football team to get ready for Saturday night against Tennessee,” Belichick said.
The ESPN story’s headline read: “For Kraft, Brady and Belichick, is this the beginning of the end?”
When asked if he intends to coach the Patriots next season, Belichick responded using one word.
“Absolutely.”