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In terms of sports greatness, Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls of the 1990’s and Tom Brady’s New England Patriots in the 2000’s are considered the most successful teams of all time. Both dominated their respective leagues, building rosters comprised of All-Star talent, and winning multiple championships within a short but extremely triumphant period. If you were to ask what happened to these teams following their championship runs, you would likely get less answers than expected. Once these teams reached their peak, their declines led them to talentless rosters and regular finishes in the bottom of their leagues. What happened to these teams that led to this point?
Star Departures
The eventual decline of these teams began when their star players left town. In Chicago, Michael Jordan announced his retirement prior to the start of the 1998 NBA season. Jordan had admitted in interviews that he didn’t plan for a long career in basketball, and at his retirement press conference, he stated “I never say never, but 99.9 percent. I am very secure with my decision”. Within the first week of his announcement, key supporting players of the Bulls were shipped out of Chicago: Scottie Pippen, Steve Kerr, and Luc Longley were traded, while Dennis Rodman was cut from the team. By Opening Night of 1998, only six players remained on the roster from the previous year.
As for the New England Patriots, Tom Brady announced that he would not be returning to the team prior to the start of free agency in 2020. Over his last few years in New England, Brady began to feel a disconnect from himself and head coach Bill Belichick. He was also upset that the Patriots would not agree to a more expensive multiyear contract with him, opting instead for cheaper single-year deals. Brady, who was 42 in 2019, expressed his interest in continuing to play until his late 40’s. While the supporting cast for the Patriots wasn’t moved out as quickly as it was for the Bulls, Brady’s top passing target in Jullian Edelman only stayed in New England for one season before retiring. Rob Gronkowski had already retired following the team’s Super Bowl 53 win. Between the 2019 and 2020 seasons, the Patriots only returned six out of eleven starters on offense. Instead of retirement, Brady joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on a multi-year deal days after the announcement of his departure.
Free Agent Signings
Both teams tried similar strategies in rebuilding their rosters through free agency, with differing results. The Bulls had planned the 2000 Free Agency period around recruiting big-name targets to build the future around. These players included Tracy McGrady, Tim Duncan, Grant Hill, and Eddie Jones, who all visited Chicago to hear the Bulls’ pitch. By the end of free agency, all of these players opted to sign with other teams due to multiple reasons. Chicago was left without a planned “star” player on the roster, instead relying on bench depth and the hope of continuing to build prospects through the draft.
The Patriots made a splash in July of 2020 by signing former NFL MVP Cam Newton to replace Tom Brady at quarterback. In 2021, the Patriots spent a then-NFL record of $160 million in guaranteed money to 11 players, followed by more signings in 2022 and 2023 to rebuild the offense. Jonnu Smith, Nelson Agholor, Devante Parker, and Juju Smith-Schuster, all offensive players acquired during free agency, turned into major disappointments for the Patriots. None of these players, including Cam Newton, lasted more than two seasons in New England. While the Patriots were successful in signing players, it didn’t guarantee a player’s success on the field.
Draft Picks
Chicago was able to receive top draft picks following Jordan’s departure due to the team’s dismal records. From 1999 to 2003, the Bulls’ highest draft positioning included the first, second (twice), fourth, and seventh (twice) overall picks. The Bulls were able to acquire top prospects, such as Elton Brand, Ron Artest, Marcus Fizer, and Jay Williams. Unfortunately for the Bulls, only half of these players’ NBA careers panned out. Players who did eventually have success experienced it outside of Chicago on different teams. Willams and Fizer were considered busts for the Bulls, while Brand became an All-Star after leaving. Ron Artest had the most success, being named to the All-Rookie Second Team in 2000, before being traded to the Indiana Pacers in 2001 and later winning a championship with the Lakers in 2010.
The Patriots, on the other hand, only had seven draft picks within the top 50 selections from 2020 to 2023. In 2021, the team selected quarterback Mac Jones at 15th overall, their highest pick since the 2008 season. Jones was selected with hopes that he would develop into the team’s QB of the future. While Jones had an incredibly strong rookie season, being named to the NFL Pro-Bowl and finishing second in Rookie-Of-The-Year voting, his career slowly deteriorated. Jones threw 24 Touchdowns compared to 23 Interceptions over the next two years, before being benched in the 2023 season. He was eventually traded to the Jacksonville Jaguars in the 2024 offseason, solidifying him as a draft-pick bust. Cole Strange and Tyquan Thornton, also drafted within the top 50 picks in 2022, have not had favorable careers either. Strange has been sidelined throughout the entire 2024 season as of week seven with an injury, while Thornton only has two touchdown receptions through three years with the Patriots. New England has already alerted teams they are actively looking to move him off the roster before the end of the season. Although Chicago selected players who had success later in their careers, the Patriots have not been able to draft NFL-caliber players with their top choices.
Staff Changes
Both franchises were led by legendary head coaches during their championship periods. The Bulls were led by Phil Jackson, who started as an assistant coach during the 1987 season before being promoted prior to the 1989 season. Under Jackson, the Bulls reached the NBA Finals in six of his nine seasons, winning all six. After the 1998 Finals, Jackson left the organization due to multiple reasons, with the most prominent being Bulls General Manager Jerry Krause. Krause and Jackson had very public disputes during their tenure, and Krause made it public that Jackson would not return to Chicago following the 1997-98 season. While Jackson took a year off of coaching before joining the Los Angeles Lakers, Krause stayed as the GM in Chicago in hopes of rebuilding the franchise and establishing credit for himself. Krause resigned in April of 2003 due to personal reasons.
Patriots Head Coach Bill Belichick had already been in New England prior to the team’s first championship in 2001. Belichick was credited as the mastermind behind the scenes of the organization, maximizing potential out of his players and leading them to six Super Bowl titles over 18 years. Belichick was also cited as one the reasons why Brady left the Patriots, not granting him personal freedom such as denying Brady’s trainer access on team flights, and continually doubting Brady’s ability to perform at the top of his game in the later stages of his career. Belichick remained in New England for four years after Brady, with many believing he was looking to prove that it was not Brady who made him successful. The Patriots went 29-38 in the span, with a winning record in only one season. Belichick and Patriots Owner Robert Kraft “Mutually Agreed to Part Ways” following a 4-13 2023 season. Recently, Kraft admitted that it was not mutual as originally portrayed, instead insisting he fired Belichick. Belichick, who currently isn’t in the league, has already made clear intent he plans to return to the NFL in 2025. Only 15 wins separate him from becoming the coach with the most wins in NFL history.
Records and Conclusions
While the Bulls and Patriots might be considered two of greatest sports dynasties of all time, the following periods for both teams have only gone into history books for the wrong reasons. In a five-year span following Michael Jordan’s departure, the Bulls had 96 wins and 282 losses, equaling a .254 winning percentage. Chicago has only reached the Eastern Conference Finals once in the 26 years since the 1998 NBA Finals. For the New England Patriots, the team has gone 30-44 as of week seven in the 2024 NFL season, a .405-win percentage. In their only playoff appearance since 2020, New England suffered a 30-point loss and a first-round exit. This year, the Patriots are currently on pace to finish with another top three overall pick in the NFL draft after picking third overall last year, the team's highest draft position since 1993. Although the Bulls and Patriots are considered the epitome of organization success, their struggles following the departures of superstars Michael Jordan and Tom Brady show how hard it is to recover and rebuild in the sports world.
Have an opposing viewpoint to this opinion? Let us know. All views are welcome. Send your thoughts to our Editorial Staff – Editor Thomas Szot tszot@student.dean.edu or Dean Daily Faculty Advisor, Professor John Rooke jrooke@dean.edu
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