Football fans had all sorts of hysterical reactions to the New England Patriots’ birthday message for former head coach Bill Belichick.
On Wednesday, the Patriots wished the legendary head coach a happy birthday with an X/Twiter post. Belichick, who coached the Patriots from 2000 to 2023, is celebrating his 73rd birthday today:
Happy birthday, Coach Belichick! pic.twitter.com/qaeySeJE3L
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) April 16, 2025
Belichick and the Patriots “parted ways” after a disappointing 2023 season that saw New England finish a woeful 4-13, the franchise’s worst record since the 1992 squad that went 2-14. It’s widely believed that New England owner Robert Kraft let Belichick “resign” out of courtesy instead of outright firing him.
Unsurprisingly, social media had plenty of wild responses to the Patriots’ happy birthday message for Bill Belichick.
“He doesn’t coach the team anymore,” one fan quipped.
He doesn't coach the team anymore
— Unstablesportz (@Unstablesportz) April 16, 2025
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“Remember when you let the Boston Media run this guy out of town? I do,” said another.
Remember when you let the Boston Media run this guy out of town? I do.
— Anthony Webb (@Imanthonywebb) April 16, 2025
“if you think one social media post removes the knife from his back…it does not,” wrote a user.
if you think one social media post removes the knife from his back…it does not.
— Edwardo (@eddydsays) April 16, 2025
“Fired him and then ran a smear campaign against him. Shameful,” another commented.
Fired him and then ran a smear campaign against him. Shameful
— Alex Martin (@armart98) April 16, 2025
“if fake love was a tweet…,” remarked a fan.
if fake love was a tweet…
— MoGreene (@MoGreezy) April 16, 2025
“thank you for posting this. he is the reason for the 6 trophies you have,” wrote another.
thank you for posting this. he is the reason for the 6 trophies you have.
— Adam Spaulding (@heyspauldi) April 16, 2025
Much has been made about a seemingly soured relationship between the two, with ESPN reporting last year that Kraft “warned” Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank to not trust Belichick.
The Falcons were the only NFL team to interview Belichick after his departure from New England in the 2024 head coach hiring cycle, but they ended up hiring former Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris instead.
After spending the 2024 season as an analyst, Belichick agreed to a five-year, $50 million contract to become the new head coach of the North Carolina Tar Heels football team. This will be Belichick’s first college coaching gig, as he was employed by an NFL team every year from 1975 to 2023.
Patriots Look To Build A New Winner In Post-Bill Belichick Era
The first year of the post-Belichick era in New England was downright ugly, with the Pats finishing 4-13 for the second straight season. Kraft fired head coach Jerod Mayo after just one year at the helm, replacing him with fellow former Patriots star linebacker Mike Vrabel.
