After being dismissed by the New England Patriots this past offseason, former head coach Bill Belichick has used the 2024 NFL season to showcase more of his personality during weekly media appearances. However, even that might not be enough to improve his standing as a coaching candidate this offseason.
Belichick, who turns 73 in April, is outside of the NFL and away from coaching for the first time in decades. A six-time Super Bowl champion with the Patriots, Belichick has spent the majority of this season making weekly appearances on the Pat McAfee Show and the ManningCast in a rebranding of his image.
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- Bill Belichick coaching record: 302-165 record (.647), 31-13 in the NFL Playoffs
The PR tour has gone well, with many fans seeing Belichick in a more favorable light with an engaging personality and some humor. However, even more important for Belichick is how people inside the league view him as he highly covets an opportunity to return to coaching in 2025.
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One of the biggest motivators for Belichick is NFL history. He’s currently just 27 wins shy of passing Don Shula (328) to become the winningest coach in NFL history. If he could land with the right team, having his choice between multiple suitors, Belichick could realistically get there in as many seasons as it took Shula (33).
However, according to senior NFL insider Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, teams are putting Belichick in the second tier of coaching candidates this offseason. In fact, one of Belichick’s former players is even viewed more favorably around the league than arguably the greatest coach in NFL history.
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Former Tennessee Titans coach Mike Vrabel, who played under Belichick with the Patriots, reportedly has an “edge” over his former coach. It’s not only because of the age difference – Vrabel will be 50 next season – but also because teams are more impressed by the culture he built in Tennessee.
This isn’t to suggest that Belichick won’t become an NFL head coach again in 2025. He’s just viewed as a second-tier candidate behind the likes of Vrabel, Ben Johnson and Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn. Ultimately, if Belichick wants to be back on the sidelined, he’ll have to settle for a job that will require a ton of work and won’t put him on the fast track for the all-time wins record.
