The Patriots’ decision to move on from Bill Belichick after the 2023 NFL season was not a surprise.
The legendary head coach had led New England to dynastic success and six Super Bowls during his 24 seasons. But after the Patriots finished with the NFL’s second-worst record (4-13) in 2023, both sides agreed to go their separate ways.
What’s more surprising is what came next: Few teams with head coaching vacancies have expressed interest in Belichick despite his availability.
So far during the 2024 NFL offseason, the Falcons have been the only team to interview Belichick, but he won’t be going to Atlanta. That vacancy went to Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris as he rejoins the organization he was with from 2015-2020.
Since Belichick failed to land the Falcons job, his chances of coaching during the 2024 NFL season are increasingly slim. Because? Because the remaining teams looking for a coach have not yet shown interest in him.
Of course, the NFL coaching hiring cycle can be fickle. The veteran coach has not been ruled out for any of the other positions, and one of the other teams could turn to him.
But with Atlanta folding, the question of what’s next for Belichick comes to the fore.
Which NFL teams haven’t hired head coaches?
Analyzing Belichick’s next move involves looking at what NFL head coaching jobs are still available. As of Thursday afternoon, there are two:
- Seattle Seahawks
- Washington Commanders
The Falcons seemed to be the favorites to land Belichick at one point. However, after an exhaustive search that included at least a dozen candidates, Atlanta settled on Morris. The club brings back the former defensive coordinator, who also served as interim head coach for 11 games in 2020 following the firing of Dan Quinn.
The Seahawks are another team that doesn’t seem like a fit for Belichick. They just moved on from Pete Carroll, whom Belichick replaced in New England in 2000.
Reading the tea leaves, it’s possible that the Seahawks wanted to replace the 72-year-old Carroll, who had been the oldest coach in the NFL, with a younger candidate. The oldest candidate to earn a second interview with the Seahawks to date is 53-year-old Dan Quinn, seemingly eliminating 71-year-old Belichick from consideration.
Finally, the Commanders have been heavily linked to Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson. There haven’t been many rumors about pursuing him outside of that, so it’s possible Washington is simply waiting patiently to strike until Detroit is eliminated from postseason contention.
So it’s tough to find a potential landing spot for Belichick. The Panthers might have been before hiring Dave Canales, but now Belichick needs to wait for the Seahawks or Commanders to finally turn around, or for another coaching job to open up.
Could Bill Belichick coach the Chiefs if Andy Reid retires?
While another coaching change in the NFL doesn’t seem likely, never say never. If there is one, it could come in Kansas City.
This has nothing to do with Andy Reid’s performance. He has earned the right to coach the Chiefs virtually as long as he wants.
That said, there has been speculation that Reid could retire over the last couple of seasons, although Reid didn’t add fuel to the fire after the Chiefs’ win over the Dolphins in the wild card game.
“I hadn’t even thought about that,” Reid said of retiring for ProFootballTalk. “I’m thinking about something. I thought that would come up when you guys asked these questions because I’m old, but not that old.”
Still, Reid will turn 66 in March, and if he decides he wants to hang up the headphones, it wouldn’t be the biggest surprise. If that happens, then Belichick could be considered for the job given his defensive experience and his history of coaching a top quarterback like Tom Brady.
But the Chiefs would immediately become the most attractive head coaching opening of the year. And they might have their own ideas, like Eric Bieniemy, who spent five years as the team’s offensive coordinator before spending a year in Washington.
What’s next for Bill Belichick if he’s not a head coach?
If the Chiefs are out of the picture, Belichick will face a difficult decision about what to do next.
Here are three possible options, none of which would be ideal as he looks to break Don Shula’s all-time NFL wins record.
Work as a defensive coordinator.
If Belichick doesn’t want to stop coaching, he may have to join a team as a defensive coordinator or assistant head coach.
There would be some obstacles for Belichick to get that job simply because he has been a head coach for so long. That could make it difficult to pair him with a first-year coach looking to establish himself or a veteran coach who isn’t willing to let Belichick run things his way.
Still, Belichick remains one of the best defensive minds in the league. So if he’s willing to agree to work as a defensive coordinator, there should be at least one team that would be happy to have him in the fold in 2024.
Get a TV gig
This may sound ridiculous to those who have only seen videos of Belichick’s press conference, but it shined when he provided analysis for NFL Network’s “All-Time Team” special.
It’s unclear if Belichick would like to work in television, but networks will likely focus on him if he doesn’t coach during the 2024 season.
Patiently wait for a head coaching position in 2025
Finally, Belichick could sit out the 2024 season and take a year off after spending 24 years as a head coach. A pause could leave him fresh for the 2025 recruiting cycle. It could also allow him some time to reflect on what he can improve after a rocky final stretch with the Patriots.
Taking some time off could be in the cards for Belichick, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. The Falcons are the only team he has interviewed with and he does not have any interviews scheduled with the Seahawks or Commanders.
He #hawks They were the only team to interview legendary coach Bill Belichick, and there are no known scheduled interviews. Belichick could potentially sit out the year and wait for an opportunity in 2025.
-Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 25, 2024
If he sits out, there will be some high-quality teams with coaches on the bench in 2024. The Cowboys, Eagles and Bills stand out as teams that could need to make a change if they don’t reach their ceilings next season, with Mike McCarthy, Nick Sirianni and Sean McDermott, all on notice.
Belichick could consider one of those gigs to be part of a squad that is already ready to win.
