17 March 2024 , 05:00
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Robert Kraft, the owner of the New England Patriots, has pointed the finger at Bill Belichick for their Super Bowl LII loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.
Despite winning six Super Bowls under Belichick's leadership, Kraft hasn't forgotten the three losses they suffered in the NFL championship game - twice to the New York Giants and once to the Eagles. At Super Bowl LII, which ended in a 41-33 defeat to the Eagles, Belichick made a surprising move by benching star cornerback Malcolm Butler.
Kraft is convinced that this decision was a major factor in their loss. Belichick has never explained why he benched Butler, but Kraft believes it was one of his biggest mistakes.
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In the AppleTV documentary 'The Dynasty', Kraft said: "[Brady] threw over 500 yards, but Bill made a tremendous error. I credited Bill with that loss. To be honest, my head coach is a pain in the tush. But I was willing to put up with it as long as we won."
Belichick and Kraft have had their share of disagreements, and reports suggest that Brady also experienced some tense moments with the coach during their tenure in New England, making their relationship a tad complex. Yet, any perceived tensions were placed on hold as Brady gave a shout-out to Belichick when announcing his retirement.
Still, Kraft seems upset that the head coach occasionally let personal matters cause a stir in the locker room. "What has been told to me is that there was something personal going on between Bill and Malcolm that was not football-related," Kraft added.
"I always felt that every decision Bill had made had been to put what was in the best interest of the team first and put emotion aside. But with Malcolm, he did just the opposite."
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Malcolm Butler was benched by Belichick without an explanation being given (Getty Images)If results weren't on Belichick's side, Kraft would've ended their professional relationship sooner. But with six Super Bowl rings to his name, Belichick has emerged as the most successful coach in the history of the NFL, which prompted Kraft to prioritise business.
The very next season after the disagreement marked a victorious moment as the Patriots bagged another Super Bowl win, triumphing over the Los Angeles Rams. This victory was the last championship that Belichick clinched with New England, as Tom Brady soon left to join the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and win a seventh Super Bowl.
Belichick had a strong team in 2018, but some players were upset with him because of how he treated Butler. Danny Amendola shared his thoughts too: "I remember walking off the field that night just really confused. That was the biggest game of our lives at the moment and Malcolm’s not on the field?
"That [expletive] kinda p***** me off still today. I mean we played our asses off. Tom threw for 500 plus yards which in a Super Bowl had never been done. We’re out there literally putting our bodies on the line, our heads on the line, for our, you know for our friends, our family, our teammates, and to not get an explanation like – I felt like we got cheated and honestly and I don’t feel bad saying that."
* An AI tool was used to add an extra layer to the editing process for this story.
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