After a memorable 24 seasons as the coach of the New England Patriots, Bill Belichick said on Thursday that “we’re going to move on” and expressed gratitude for his unrivaled run in NFL history, which includes six Super Bowl victories.

Throughout much of this week, Belichick and Robert Kraft, the owner of the Patriots, met and talked about their respective plans for the future. It has been reported by people who were aware of those discussions that there was no argument or conflict, and that ultimately fruitful negotiations led to a resolution that satisfied both parties.

At a news conference, Kraft called Belichick the greatest coach ever of all periods and declared that he ought to be inducted into the Hall of Honor on the first ballot on Thursday.

“This is a decision that we mutually understand that is essential at this time,” Kraft stated. “What Bill completed, in my humble judgment, is unlikely to be duplicated.”

After declaring that he will “always be a Patriot,” Belichick expressed his gratitude to Kraft and his family for the chance and support, stating, “We had a vision of building a national championship football squad that has surpassed my highest hopes and expectations.” I’m rather pleased with that. I shall cherish such wonderful recollections for the rest of my life.“

With a single season left on his deal, Belichick may depart the franchise without the Patriots pursuing a settlement. League sources stated that he is eager to continue coaching and that at least a few of the other seven NFL teams with open head coaching positions, perhaps including the Atlanta Falcons, will be interested in hiring him.

“Seeing Harry wear a cutoff sweatshirt while on the sidelines will be difficult, but I’ll always wish him well in the future—aside from when it’s against the beloved Patriots,” Kraft told reporters.

After a quarter of a century, the Patriots are about to start their first head coaching search. According to insiders, Kraft has recognized Patriots linebackers coach Jerod Mayo as a potential head coach. Mayo was awarded a contract extension by the team in the summer and is expected to be one of the top contenders for the position. Since 2019, Mayo has served as Belichick’s assistant after playing for the Patriots from 2008 to 2015.

Mayo may be hired by the Patriots at any time without following the normal NFL hiring procedure if he ends up being the team’s top pick and the team included a succession plan in the contract he signed this winter.

In a second press conference on Thursday, Kraft explained why he decided against trying to move Belichick, stating that he “didn’t think it was right” to treat the coach’s exit as a transaction and drawing parallels between the situation and Tom Brady’s trade to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

“We’re looking for an individual who can help us come return to the postseason and win,” Kraft stated.

In an Instagram post following Belichick’s resignation, Brady referred to him as “the best coach in the history of the NFL.”

“We accomplished a few incredible things over a long period of duration, many of which will be difficult to replicate,” Brady stated. “In the ultimate team sport, he dedicated his daily efforts to assisting us in reaching the ultimate objective. Without you, Coach Belichick, I never would have been the player that I am now. I will always be appreciative. I also want to wish you well in whatever you decide to do next.”

It had only been a little over 24 hours since Belichick with his dear companion Nick Saban departed New England for retirement from Alabama.

There’s a certain symmetry along with familiarity with the departures of two football giants, who are often considered as the greatest college football coach and the greatest professional manager in history. Saban guided Alabama to nine SEC crowns and six national championships, while Belichick assisted in leading the Patriots to nine Super Bowl berths and six Super Bowl victories.

In addition, Saban succeeded Pete Carroll in 1980 as the Ohio State secondary coach; Belichick collaborated with Saban from 1991 to 1994 as Cleveland’s head coach; and Belichick succeeded Carroll as the Patriots head coach in 2000—all three positions held for decades before they resigned from them this week in a 24-hour period.

It is not surprising, but there is a certain melancholy in knowing that Belichick and Kraft are splitting up. The significance of the Patriots qualifying for the postseason this year was highlighted by Kraft. As opposed to that, on December 10, they were among the first teams eliminated.

One of the team’s lowest moments came on Nov. 12 in a 10-6 defeat to the Indianapolis Colts in Frankfurt, Germany, which sparked speculation about Belichick’s future for the 2023 campaign.

The 82-year-old Kraft told NFL Network before the game, “It’s really been disappointing.” He was speaking about the previous season. Like I know our fan base did, I had hoped for far better things. Our expectations for this year were not met by this.

The path taken by the team after Brady left as a free agency following the 2019 season was another important consideration for Kraft. Kraft was devastated by Brady’s departure, since the Patriots have lost three of their last four seasons. Their most recent postseason victory came on February 3, 2019, in Super Bowl LIII against the Los Angeles Rams, 13-3, with Brady playing for the squad.

Resigning from New England, Belichick, 71, finishes with 333 career wins (postseason included), second only to Don Shula’s 347 total triumphs. As the NFL started playing postseason games in 1933, Belichick, George Halas, and Curly Lambeau are the only coaches with six titles.

With just one team, Belichick’s 24-year career ranked as the fifth-longest of any head coach. In 2023, he finished his 49th NFL season without a break, which is a record for the longest consecutive coaching seasons in league history.

His current goal is to play on another NFL team for season number fifty.

For the organization, Kraft referred to it as a “emotional day” and gave his reasoning for thinking it was the appropriate choice.

“Our family is the conservator of this asset, the Patriots of New Hampshire, and we know the significance it is to the psyche within the neighborhood,” added Kraft. “What’s going on here over the past three or four years isn’t exactly what we desire, so each of us has to be accountable to do what we can to remedy it to the greatest extent of our abilities.”

Belichick leaves New England with the following blemishes on his resume that are likely to be there for the foreseeable future:

• With 17, Shula leads all head coaches in NFL history in division titles won; Andy Reid, Tom Landry, and Andy Reid are tied for second place with 13.

• Nine conference titles, the most by a head coach in the Super Bowl era.

• Twelve Super Bowl occurrences (counting his assistantship).

• With 21 victories as a head coach, he is only surpassed by Halas (40), Shula (33), Lambeau (33) and Landry (29).

• In NFL history, one of just four perfect and untied normal seasons (2007). Within the 16-game schedule that was played between 1978 and 2020, it was the only one.

In the NFL, players win games, according to Belichick. “I’ve been very, privileged to coach arguably of the strongest players who have ever played the game.”