Would Bill Belichick turn over a new leaf if he becomes an NFL head coach once again?
Belichick and the New England Patriots parted ways following the 2023 season after 24 years together. During his tenure in New England, Belichick compiled a 266-121 record, making nine Super Bowl appearances and winning six championships. He currently sits just 14 wins behind Miami Dolphins legend Don Shula’s NFL record for most head-coaching wins (347 to 333).
Despite his success, Belichick’s last five seasons with the Patriots were a struggle after quarterback Tom Brady left for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. New England missed the playoffs four times, and Belichick stepped down as head coach after a disastrous 4-13 record in 2023.
While with New England, Belichick served as the de facto general manager, having final say over personnel. The question now is whether the soon-to-be 73-year-old would still want that level of control if he returns to an NFL sideline.
Concerns over Bill Belichick wanting too much power to come back to coach
ESPN NFL insider Dan Graziano reports that “not everyone believes” Belichick will want to cede power if he returns to the NFL as head coach.
“Belichick is a complicated case,” Graziano writes. “He is considered the greatest coach in NFL history, but he’s also turning 73 in April, and his final few years in New England did not go well. Some people close to the situation will tell you Belichick won’t insist on the same level of organizational control at his next stop as he had in New England, but not everyone believes that. It’s possible that a team hiring him would have to make major changes to its front office structure to accommodate him.”
Earlier this year, Belichick interviewed for the Atlanta Falcons’ head-coaching job, which ultimately went to Raheem Morris. He also reportedly interviewed with the University of North Carolina for their college football head-coaching position.
Looking ahead, there will be no shortage of NFL head-coaching openings after the 2024 season. The Chicago Bears and New York Jets fired their head coaches in-season, while potential openings could arise with the Dallas Cowboys, Las Vegas Raiders, Cincinnati Bengals, and Jacksonville Jaguars.
Graziano concluded: “It wouldn’t surprise anyone to see Belichick get one of the coaching jobs that comes open this cycle, but he might not have the array of options commensurate with his record.”
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