The worst kept recent secret in professional sports has now come to fruition, as Bill Belichick and the Patriots are parting ways after 24 years of the most successful working relationship in NFL history.
Even before Belichick and New England owner Robert Kraft have met with the media at Gillette Stadium, reports have already surfaced that the Hoodie wants to keep coaching and suitors in Washington and Atlanta are already lining up for his services.
Those teams certainly need coaches and could use Belichick’s instant credibility. He could rebuild a once-great, historic NFC East franchise that he might have a soft spot for from his coaching youth. He might be able to bring respectability to a team that he helped embarrass in unprecedented fashion in Super Bowl days gone by.
But, there are a lot more “fun” options on the NFL landscape these days, even places that might be reconsidering their current head coach in the wake of Belichick hitting the free agent market this week. And by “fun,” we mean fun in the sense of storylines for the NFL world as a whole, not necessarily for Patriot Nation.
So, here goes, here are seven “fun” and creative possible landing spots for Belichick now that he’s looking for a new gig as he approaches his 72nd birthday and chases Don Shula’s all-time NFL wins record.
1 – Jets: Belichick hates the Jets! Right? Maybe. But he doesn’t hate teams conveniently located in the northeast with great defenses, young offensive playmaking talent and a future Hall of Fame QB wearing No. 12. He was the HC in NY for one day back in 2000. Maybe the story could come full circle with a potential readymade Super Bowl contender who’d give him the chance to play and stick it to the Patriots twice a year. We know a competitor like Belichick would never want that!
2 – Cowboys: America’s Team bringing on America’s most respected/hated football coach? Sure it would take Dallas flaming out of the postseason, but that’s not too hard to imagine given their history and Mike McCarthy’s input. Jerry Jones could frustratingly give Belichick whatever he wants, including a pretty loaded roster. Belichick could coach the modern L.T. in Micah Parsons. He could return glory to the storied franchise. He could push Kraft’s buttons by winning for Jones. This one could break the internet, as the cliché says!
3 – Bills: Another playoff team that currently has a coach. But the window has been closing for Sean McDermott in Buffalo, where another cash-flush owner could get antsy watching his franchise QB watch another Super Bowl from his couch. Buffalo is in the division and allows for annual trips to Gillette Stadium. Who better to coach up Josh Allen to stop doing dumb you-know-what than the GOAT coach who despises turnovers? Buffalo is a Super Bowl contender without Belichick. Imagine what they’d be with him?
4 – Chargers: Hey, the first team on our list that actually has an opening for a head coach. Imagine Belichick going Hollywood? It’s hard, I know. But even with salary cap hellish problems, the Chargers have a young franchise QB and talent. They lost like a million games by just a field goal this season. Belichick has to be worth plus-4 points, right? In terms of resume, cache and production, the switch from Brandon Staley to Belichick might just be the most dramatic coaching change in football history.
5 – Jaguars: This is a wild card. Jacksonville seems somewhat stable under Trevor Lawrence and Doug Pederson, who had the audacity to beat Belichick in a Super Bowl with a backup QB. But the Kahn family isn’t opposed to swinging for the fences and making splashes. The Jags have some talent and could be a contender quickly. The team could use the pub in its stadium push. Belichick gets to go where all aging New Englanders seem to end up…Florida. Crazier things have happened.
6 – Giants: We all know Belichick holds a soft spot in his heart for the Giants and what he experienced there early in his career. They feel like his first love. They had a debacle of a second season under Brian Daboll. Sure they have plenty of questions in terms of talent and QB, but if the Giants are truly special in Belichick’s heart they might be tempted to give him a shot.
7 – Eagles: This feels crazy, but Nick Sirianni has found life after the Super Bowl difficult in Philly. Belichick’s guy Matt Patricia could have been an embedded spy for this move. The team has as much all around talent as any in the NFL and could be a nice road toward wins, records and the Super Bowl for Belichick. He could also pull off the northeast sports trifecta by coaching in New York, Boston and finally Philly. Belichick seems to love passionate fans after all.
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