Talk about a football soap opera! The Patriots‘ recent love-fest for Tom Brady has stirred up a hornets’ nest, with NFL analyst Mike Florio leading the charge against Robert Kraft’s apparent double standards.

Florio isn’t mincing words when it comes to Kraft’s approach toward Bill Belichick’s future. He’s calling out the stark contrast between Kraft’s flowery words and his behind-the-scenes maneuvers. As Florio pointed out on Pro Football Talk today, “If the Patriots really want to be aggressive, they could take the argument that Belichick had a chance to earn some of the money that he’s going to get paid by the Patriots this year and that money the Patriots would have been offset by whatever belichick would have gotten from the 49ers if it actually progressed to the point where they made an offer five-six million”

Remember when Kraft and Belichick spent three days locked in discussions after the Patriots’ worst season in decades? Kraft claimed they considered letting Belichick stay on with reduced power. But he shot that down faster than a Tom Brady quick release, saying, “It wouldn’t work, in my opinion.” Kraft elaborated in January, “Well, the last three years have been pretty tough, and I know for our dedicated fans and myself, and (in) life I just learn that things happen.”

Yet, at Brady’s ceremony, Kraft was suddenly all sunshine and rainbows about Belichick. He gushed, “I want to say this is the greatest coach in the history of the game that did what no one else has done.” Talk about a 180-degree turn that would make even the most agile cornerback dizzy!

But here’s where it gets juicy. While Kraft was playing hot and cold with Belichick’s legacy, other NFL teams were ready to roll out the red carpet. Kyle Shanahan, head coach of the San Francisco 49ers, revealed he offered Belichick “any job he wanted“ with the team. Shanahan said on The TK Show with Tim Kawakami, “He was very nice and appreciative, but he politely turned me down.” This offer came after Belichick departed from the Patriots, making Kraft’s actions seem even more puzzling.

Bill Belichick’s post-Patriots career

Instead of coaching, Belichick’s taking his talents to the small screen. He’s set to appear on “Inside the NFL,” the ManningCast, and “The Pat McAfee Show.” It’s a new chapter for the coaching legend, but one that leaves fans scratching their heads. Florio mused about this career shift: “Belichick deserves to be treated like that at some point as well so he deserves not to be chased around for a few million here or there that he could have made from the San Francisco 49ers.” He added, “Think about it, it was going back to being a defensive coordinator after he was fired by the Browns back with the Giants right? Giants, Jets, Jets worked his way back up to a position where he was an attractive head coach again.”

Adding another layer to this football onion is the question of compensation. When the Patriots hired Belichick in 2000, they had to trade a first-round draft pick to the Jets. But when it came time for Belichick to leave, Kraft decided against seeking any compensation. As he put it, “I didn’t think it was right for Tom Brady, who gave us 20 years. And I don’t think it’s right for Bill.”

But the plot thickens further. At Brady’s roast, the tension between Kraft and Belichick was palpable. Julian Edelman described the scene in the green room: “The tension in that room, though, could cut f—ing glass.” Despite this, Belichick and Kraft managed to share a shot on stage, albeit with some coaxing from comedian Kevin Hart.

Meanwhile, Belichick, for his part, showed nothing but respect for Brady at the ceremony, stating, “It was a tremendous honor for me to draft Tom and coach Tom for 20 years. Everything he brought to the team, it was really an honor for me to be involved with that.”

Florio’s criticism highlights a broader question: How will the Patriots fare in the post-Belichick era? With three tough years behind them and no clear successor in sight, Kraft’s decision to let Belichick walk without compensation might come back to haunt him like a ghost of Super Bowls past. There are even whispers that Belichick might assist the Washington Huskies football program, where his son Steve is the defensive coordinator.

As Brady summed up his Patriots career during his Hall of Fame induction: “It wasn’t me. It wasn’t you. It was us.” Perhaps Kraft should have taken those words to heart when dealing with Bill Belichick’s departure. Only time will tell if the Patriots can recapture their former glory or if Belichick’s absence will leave a void bigger than a defensive line gap on fourth and inches.