Thursday marked the end of Bill Belichick's reign in New England ... and according to Deion Branch, it also signaled the end of an era that will never, ever be duplicated.
Branch minced no words when talking about his former head coach just hours after The Hoodie and the Patriots agreed to part ways ... telling TMZ Sports, "To do the things that he's done within this era, it'll never be matched again."
Branch played for Belichick from 2002 to 2005 ... and then once more from 2010 to 2012.