1999 Patriots Season

Kraft Announces Firing of Carroll

Ian Logue Senior Writer · PatsFans.com since 2000

Jan 3, 2000 at 6:51 pm ET 2 min read 1.1k views

FOXBORO, MA — In a move that everyone saw coming, Patriots owner Bob Kraft held a press conference this morning at 10:15am to announce that head coach Pete Carroll had been fired.

“I must say up front, he’s someone I have great respect for. I think he’s a great coach, and I think he came into a difficult situation, but this is a business of accountability,” said Kraft during his press conference. “Two years ago we won the division, last year we barely made the playoffs, and this year we’re 8-8 with a fifth place schedule. We need a momentum change.”

“Is it solely Pete Carroll’s Fault? No. I think we have to re-assess the whole organization. We have to look for whatever we can do to put ourselves in the best position to get into the playoffs and compete for a championship, and I commit to do that.”

Bill Parcells resigned as head coach this morning, and with that move Bill Bellichick automatically became the head coach of the Jets. Bellichick had been New England’s top candidate to replace Carroll, and it appears that the Tuna got the best of Kraft again. There is no word yet on who the next coach will be, and Kraft gave no indication on who will replace him.

“At this point I don’t have the answers yet,” said Kraft “We’ll be working on it very dilligently over the next couple of weeks, and we will do everything we can do to bring this organization to the point that we want to have it.”

When asked on the future of Director of Player Personnell Bobby Grier, Kraft wouldn’t comment and simply walked out of the room.

LATE UPDATE – Bill Belichick according to ESPN is unhappy that he wasn’t given the opportunity to meet with Kraft to discuss the job as Patriots head coach and GM. Belichick is apparently concerned over the Jets current ownership status. The NFL is planning to investigate the situation.

About Ian Logue

Ian Logue is a Seacoast native and owner and senior writer for PatsFans.com, an independent media site covering the New England Patriots and has been running this site in one form or another since 1997.

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