The 2020 NFL season was far from a crowning achievement for Patriots head coach and de facto general manager Bill Belichick.
For one thing, the Patriots struggled to a 7-9 season in their first year sans quarterback Tom Brady, with issues at quarterback and other offensive skill positions highlighting some talent deficiencies in Belichick’s offense.
Then, Brady went out and immediately won a Super Bowl with his new team, touching off a firestorm of hot takes about who was the real reason for the Patriots’ success the last 20 years.
But at least one NFL writer still views Belichick as the gold standard among the league’s general managers.