Bill Belichick noticeably absent from Patriots' celebration of 2001 Super Bowl team

Oct 12, 2026 at 9:03 pm ET • 2 min read

Bill Belichick recently attended the New York Giants' 40th anniversary of the franchise's first Super Bowl-winning team. Belichick met up with former players from that team during a private dinner. He left before the Giants' win over the Cardinals, which included a halftime ceremony honoring the 1986 Giants. 

Two members of the 2021 Patriots were noticeably absent from this weekend's 25th-anniversary celebration: Belichick and former quarterback Tom Brady. 

A color commentator, Brady's absence was understandable as he was on assignment in Seattle. Belichick is also busy, given his role as North Carolina's coach. But if he was able to make time to attend the Giants' anniversary, couldn't he have done the same for the '01 Patriots? 

There are two possible answers. Belichick may have actually been busy, or it may be because he continues to harbor ill will toward how his time in New England ended. 

At the time, Patriots owner Robert Kraft called it a mutual parting, but it's become clear over time that Belichick was forced out after the 2023 season. Belichick didn't appreciate how his exit was handled, and it's impacted his relationship with the franchise in the years since. 

Last year, in his first year as the Tar Heels' coach, Belichick acknowledged that Patriots scouts were prohibited from being at North Carolina's facilities. 

"It's clear I'm not welcome there at their facility. So they're not welcome at ours," Belichick said at the time. 

Both Kraft and Belichick have exchanged public barbs since their split. Kraft initially said that he made a "big risk" by trading for Belichick (who was under contract with the Jets) to become the Patriots' new coach ahead of the 2000 season. Belichick responded by saying that he was the one who took a risk by coming to New England. 

"As I told Robert multiple times through the years, I took a big risk by taking the New England Patriots head coaching job," Belichick told ESPN. "I already had an opportunity to be the Head Coach of the New York Jets, but the ownership situation was unstable."  

While the current situation between the two isn't great, Kraft and Belichick enjoyed a historic partnership during their 23 seasons together. Over that span, the Patriots won six Super Bowls, nine AFC titles, and 17 division titles. It was the longest-sustained run of success by a franchise in NFL history. 

The 2001 Patriots started the dynasty. After a 0-2 start, the '01 Patriots finished the regular season with an 11-5 record. New England went 11-3 after Brady replaced an injured Drew Bledsoe in the starting lineup. Brady's steady play complemented a defense that allowed an average of just 17 points per game. 

The Patriots ran the table in the playoffs, defeating the Raiders, Steelers and Rams to capture the franchise's first Super Bowl title. The 20-17 win over Los Angeles is still one of the biggest upsets in Super Bowl history. 

That team's accomplishments were celebrated on Sunday. Patriots fans showered the team with cheers at halftime of New England's eventual win over the Raiders. 

Belichick wasn't in attendance on Sunday, but he'll have plenty of more opportunities to attend future Patriots' Super Bowl teams. The 2003 team's 25th anniversary, for example, will take place in 2028. 

Kraft has also alluded to building a statue for Belichick, a gesture that might compel the team's former coach to return to his old stomping grounds.