If the New England Patriots were going to have success in 2021, Bill Belichick needed to be a prime candidate for the Coach of the Year award. The NFL has often discounted Belichick as a finalist because he is often the best coach in the NFL. But this year felt like a particularly large achievement: making the playoffs with a rookie quarterback — and for the first time since Tom Brady’s departure.
The 2021 Patriots’ successes have been tied much closer to Belichick’s achievements and failures than they have been with those of quarterback Mac Jones, even if he tends to find himself in the spotlight.