The latest New England Patriots rumor is bad news for the future of the organization

As if the Patriots haven't faced enough speculation this offseason regarding the relationship between Bill Belichick and Mac Jones, now we have more rumors that just make matters worse.

Last week, team owner Robert Kraft seemingly addressed Belichick's comments from earlier this year discussing the Patriots' spending habits over the last several years. The head coach's statements were considered a shot at ownership, as he appeared to put any blame for not spending enough money on contracts and free agents on the shoulders of Kraft and not himself, despite being the general manager.

Now this week, chatter regarding Belichick's job security is being discussed again due to the Patriots' lack of success in the absence of Tom Brady over the last three seasons.

Although much of that was to be expected since there's not a quarterback on this planet that could replicate the performance of a guy like Brady, Kraft has expressed his disappointment on not making the postseason on numerous occasions, thus applying some pressure on Belichick to get the job done as soon as possible.

Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio discussed the latest rumors involving the head coach and owner, reiterating the comments Kraft made about Belichick's job security back in Mach.

"Look, I’d like him to break Don Shula’s record, but I’m not looking for any our players to get great stats. We’re about winning, and doing whatever we can to win. And that’s what our focus is now. And I -- it’s very important to me that we make the playoffs, and that’s what I hope happens next year."

More fuel was added to this alleged fire last week when Kraft was asked what would satisfy him the most from the 2023 season. He simply replied, "Number seven."

Florio writes about the alleged growing tension behind the scenes between Belichick and Kraft, referring to it as an "old back-and-forth pissing match."

"Hidden in this back-and-forth is an old-fashioned pissing match, with Belichick trying to subtly shift blame for post-Brady struggles to Kraft for not spending, and with Kraft pushing it back to Belichick for not asking for the money to be spent."

If this is accurate and only getting worse, what could this mean for Belichick's future as the Patriots head coach?

Could the 2023 season be the end for him in New England?

According to Florio, the answer is more yes than no.

"At some point, a sufficient stretch of failure wipes out a history of excellence. At some point, the past will have faded from the rearview mirror. At some point, Kraft will decide to turn the page.

And he’ll be more likely to do it sooner than later if Belichick keeps trying to blame Kraft for failures that, in Kraft’s mind, trace only to Belichick."

Florio is considered an "NFL insider," but he doesn't always have the best track record for alleged team gossip, especially involving a team known for keeping most of its drama behind closed doors. But since this has been a revisited conversation over the last two years, could there be more truth to it now than we think?

Could Kraft ultimately decide to move on from Belichick if the upcoming season is deemed a failure again?

Or could Belichick shock everyone and become tired of working with Kraft and leave on his own accord?

Regardless of which scenario could potentially happen, what would that mean for the future of the Patriots organization? At this point, it doesn't seem like anything good. However, let's hope it's just gossip and rumors because the team certainly doesn't need any more drama heading into the new season.