It turns out the final blow to the New England Patriots dynasty didn’t come from Tom Brady leaving, bad contract decisions, or the hands of Josh Allen lighting up the AFC East. It came from Baltimore. And Bill Belichick is finally admitting it... in his own way.
In his upcoming book The Art of Winning, Belichick dedicates an entire chapter to the mistakes that haunted his 24-year run in New England. Right at the top? Not drafting Lamar Jackson. Pretty sure all 30 other general managers are regretting that too, but I digress. The Pats passed on the Baltimore Ravens star quarterback twice in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft, and Belichick finally admits what everyone else figured out years ago: they royally blew it.
Instead of taking Jackson—who had visited Foxborough before the draft and was widely projected as a late first-round pick—the Patriots took offensive lineman Isaiah Wynn at No. 23 and running back Sony Michel at No. 31 (both out of Georgia). Baltimore then traded back into the first round with the Philadelphia Eagles and took Jackson at No. 32.
Lamar Jackson could have saved the Patriots from years of turmoil
It’s not just that the Patriots passed on Lamar once. It’s that they passed on him twice in the same night. Wynn struggled to stay on the field, and Michel never truly fit the billing of being a first-round pick. Lamar just became the most electric player in league history. What could have been...
Unfortunately for New England, since then they've been unraveling in slow motion.
Brady stuck around for two more seasons, then left for Tampa Bay and instantly won another ring. They've cycled through Cam Newton, Mac Jones, Bailey Zappe, and now Drake Maye. The offense hasn’t had a pulse in years. Back-to-back years of drafting in the top five says it all.
And it all traces back to the fact they had no real post-Brady plan. He left, and there was no one behind him. Belichick had a chance to line up the next era and instead went down with the ship. Lamar could’ve been next in line. Instead, they built nothing—and it’s still falling apart. Dynasty crushed.
They’ve made the playoffs once since 2019—and they’ve been chasing answers ever since.
Meanwhile, Baltimore hasn’t had to ask many questions—if any. Jackson took over in late 2018 and has done nothing but deliver. Two MVPs. Four Pro Bowls. Multiple playoff appearances. Over 20,000 passing yards. The all-time rushing leader among quarterbacks. And maybe most importantly—he’s only getting better with age.
Jackson was the succession plan Belichick needed. He could’ve been the next chapter after Brady. But Billy B. and the Pats blew it. They picked the wrong prospect... twice. They let the league’s most dynamic quarterback fall into Baltimore’s lap. And now, Belichick is coaching college football at UNC while the Ravens are firmly in the Super Bowl hunt.
So yeah, Belichick admitting this in his new book is notable. But in Baltimore, it’s just confirmation. Lamar wasn’t just the best draft pick the Ravens ever. He might’ve buried the Patriots’ dynasty while he was at it.
One team’s pain is another team’s gain.