Bill Belichick fires back at Patriots owner Robert Kraft as feud resurfaces

In a stunning return to headlines, the long-simmering tension between the New England Patriots and their legendary former head coach Bill Belichick has resurfaced. Sparked by Robert Kraft’s recent comments labeling Belichick’s 1999 hiring as a “big risk,” the latest chapter of this high-profile Patriots feud reveals how deep the rift between the two figures has grown, even after six Super Bowl titles together.

The remark, made on the “Dudes on Dudes” podcast co-hosted by Julian Edelman and Rob Gronkowski, was seen by some as a compliment. As noted by ESPN's Don Van Natta Jr., Kraft reflected that hiring Belichick in 1999 was the most controversial decision of his ownership—but ultimately the most rewarding.

“I gave up a No. 1 draft pick for a coach that had only won a little over 40% of his games to get him out,” Kraft said. “I don't know if there are any Jets fans here. I think getting Bill Belichick to come to the Patriots in 1999 was a big risk, and I got hammered in the Boston area, but he was with us for 24 years.”

However, Belichick didn’t see it that way. In a sharp response, also noted by Van Natta, the former Pats head coach defended his decision to take the job, suggesting the real risk was his.

“As I told Robert multiple times through the years, I took a big risk by taking the New England Patriots head coaching job,” Belichick said. “I already had an opportunity to be the Head Coach of the New York Jets, but the ownership situation was unstable.”

The former NFL coach — now leading the University of North Carolina Tar Heels — emphasized that when he joined New England, the team was $10 million over the salary cap, organizationally unstable, and lacking resources. He claimed the Patriots were in disarray and that he only accepted the job on the condition he’d have full control to rebuild.

Still, the tension is palpable. Belichick’s recent 300+ page book omitted any mention of his former boss. Meanwhile, Kraft contradicted the narrative of a “mutual parting,” stating he “fired” the six-time Super Bowl champion. Add to that a critical Apple TV documentary and Belichick’s silence during Kraft’s Hall of Fame campaign, and the fallout appears far from over.

With Tom Brady’s statue ceremony looming and the inevitability of Belichick’s Hall of Fame induction in 2026, the NFL is heading toward some potentially tense public reunions — or deliberate avoidances. As the battle for legacy intensifies, this Patriots feud threatens to overshadow what was once the league’s most dominant dynasty.