It only became official last Thursday, but the writing had been on the wall for weeks, if not months. Bill Belichick’s reign in New England, the greatest run by any coach in NFL history, was ending. A 13-loss season, the worst of his career, and growing dysfunction in the organization were the ultimate undoing.

But the seeds of his decline go back much, much further –– long before Tom Brady’s departure, in fact.

So today, our Patriots whisperer, Seth Wickersham, helps pinpoint when Belichick’s fall started and how much of his so-called 'Patriot Way' was illusion and how much was real.

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