Bill Belichick Will Likely Never Coach Again (1 Viewer)

[RJ in Lafayette]

I would never say never, but it is revealing that in this coaching cycle only one team showed even interest in hiring Belichick.

There is an interesting piece in the Atlantic by Jeff Howe that offers three reasons why Belichick may never coach again, and I will add the obvious fourth reason:

1. Belichick will shortly be turning 72. If a team were to hire him after the 2024 season, it would mean he would be entering the 2025 season with a new team at age 73.

2. His handling of the quarterback position. How could he allow Tom Brady to leave without having a succession plan? And then there is Mac Jones--he either badly evaluated Jones or has done a poor job developing him.

3. His insistence on total control, including personnel decisions. For a number of years, the Patriots did not draft well, and it appears he repeatedly overruled his scouting department during the draft. And then there are the coaches who fared poorly after leaving New England but whom Belichick insists on hiring.

4. Given his age and personality, a legitimate question is whether he can relate to the current generation of players.

In short, if a team has a general manager or team president who is staying like Atlanta's Rich McKay, the general manager or team president will not favor Belichick. If a team needs to rebuild, which is often the case with teams looking for a new coach, it seems unlikely to hire a coach who is 73 years old or older. And then there are the other questions. At some point in life, you have to move on. I think Belichick reached that stage two years ago.

 

[los226]

It’s a new age offensive driven league and he’s a defensive minded head coach with an old school mentality. He’s a great coach with attention to detail, but he’s got both those factors working against him.

At least older coaches like Andy Reid and Sean Payton can still thrive in today’s league since offense is their MO.

 

[Elvis]

If I were Bill, I would be looking for a spot as a senior defensive assistant/assistant head coach type position if I wanted to keep coaching. Starting from scratch at his age seems odd to me. But being the guy who could help take a mid defense to a great defense without all of the hours demanded from a head coach would sound appealing.

 

[VinSaint]

Honestly, I think Belichek's primary motivation for coaching again was simply to claim the all-time wins record, which would've essentially required two full seasons (or one really, really good one) for him to obtain. He would be 74ish by then, which seems hard to imagine anyone feeling confident in him coaching beyond that point anyway and forces them into another coaching search.

Add on to that his mediocre (at best) track record outside of any Tom Brady-led team and it's easy to see why no one outside of Arthur Blank even gave him a look.

Hell, as a Saints fan, I'm disappointed the Falcons didn't hire him. There's enough evidence in recent years to show that today's game has passed ole Bill by.

 

[fahad]

He should retire, and enjoy more time with his family. He had a great career and accomplished so many great things. I would not let someone to tell me when it is time to go, I would leave one top.

 

[HouseCall]

The issue for Bill is that he needs too much control. He earned that status in New England and now that he’s moved on, he can’t go back to just being a coach.

Most GMs would be strongly opposed to bringing Bill in because it would likely mean their days were numbered. So if the GM is tight with an owner - that GM is likely going to advocate against Bill B.

Also, most owners recognize that you can’t commit the time needed for a guy like Belechick to come in and change the culture. You do better to hire young guys that can better relate to todays players and if it doesn’t work, you move on after 2-3 years.

Bill missed his shot to get out similarly to what Payton did when Brees retired.

 

[Saintman2884]

Honestly, I think Belichek's primary motivation for coaching again was simply to claim the all-time wins record, which would've essentially required two full seasons (or one really, really good one) for him to obtain. He would be 74ish by then, which seems hard to imagine anyone feeling confident in him coaching beyond that point anyway and forces them into another coaching search.

Add on to that his mediocre (at best) track record outside of any Tom Brady-led team and it's easy to see why no one outside of Arthur Blank even gave him a look.

Hell, as a Saints fan, I'm disappointed the Falcons didn't hire him. There's enough evidence in recent years to show that today's game has passed ole Bill by.

IMO, despite Belichick's smug, aloof, sort of jerkish mannerisms, and his many controversies like Spygate, Deflategate, it must be extremely frustrating to know you're about 15-16 wins away from breaking Shula's all-time wins record, so close you can feel it, all he needed was two very decent seasons, and yet, more then likely, he'll never reach that mark.

That would, ultimately, make Belichick 0-2 overall in trying to match or out-perform Shula's accompishments of a a perfect season and the all-time NFL wins mark.

Belichick's situation sort of mirrors Saban's at Alabama, except for perhaps Saban realizing the NCAAF landscape, one-sided power dynamic that he had long manipulated and dominated was radically changing and he wouldn't be able to recruit (and keep) 4-5 star recruits as long as he used to due to the transfer portal, so he decides to step aside and retire.

 

[Super]

At his age, why would anyone go thru all that work and stress, especially after what he’s already accomplished? Maybe some off and on consultant, but that’s about all I would do

 

[Snakehead]

It’s a new age offensive driven league and he’s a defensive minded head coach with an old school mentality. He’s a great coach with attention to detail, but he’s got both those factors working against him.

At least older coaches like Andy Reid and Sean Payton can still thrive in today’s league since offense is their MO.

It is a new age offensive league and 5 of the 8 new HC are defensive HCs. His issue is his old school mentality without the ability to change. His Patriot Way or the highway doesn't work with this generation.

 

[Saintman2884]

The issue for Bill is that he needs too much control. He earned that status in New England and now that he’s moved on, he can’t go back to just being a coach.

Most GMs would be strongly opposed to bringing Bill in because it would likely mean their days were numbered. So if the GM is tight with an owner - that GM is likely going to advocate against Bill B.

Also, most owners recognize that you can’t commit the time needed for a guy like Belechick to come in and change the culture. You do better to hire young guys that can better relate to todays players and if it doesn’t work, you move on after 2-3 years.

Bill missed his shot to get out similarly to what Payton did when Brees retired.

One of BB's other mistakes was perhaps staying too long and believing that due to his incredible, unbelievable achievements in NE, he was "owed" by the Krafts, Patriots FO to allow him to remain as long as he wanted or needed to break Shula's all-time wins record. And we both know, House, that despite this gentle, nice, friendly "grandpa act" facade, Robert Kraft didnt reach the heights of business/corporate success and especially as it relates to being Patriots owner by being nice, conciliatory, and not making a sheet load of enemies. He's amassed a large share of enemies all over the Boston-area, all over New England, and within the NFL owners ranks by being a ruthless power player and wheeler-dealer.

He's been an outstanding owner, but there's been more then a few people he's had to step over, figuratively speaking, along the way and make some promises he knew at the time he wouldn't or couldn't keep throughout his life.

Also, even if Bill had left New England after lets say, the 2021 season in a similar manner to how Payton did, it still would be met with some criticism, or cynicism from sectors in Patriots fan base and the NE regional sports media community. Maybe not as caustic, or as critical with the same intensity with how fans here on SR.com claiming that Sean "quit" and lets be honest, he kind of did and he left the team's roster pretty bare afterwards for his successor. Those who claim Sean would still be Saints HC if we'd drafted Mahomes like he wanted and hes gradually inserted as starting QB by 2018-19, are probably right. Sean left because he knew he wouldn't win like he used to when Brees' was here for 16 seasons and didnt want to be part of any long rebuild.

 

[jesusfish]

It’s a new age offensive driven league and he’s a defensive minded head coach with an old school mentality. He’s a great coach with attention to detail, but he’s got both those factors working against him.

At least older coaches like Andy Reid and Sean Payton can still thrive in today’s league since offense is their MO.

Counter to what I expected, 5 of the 8 HC hires this cycle were defensive guys.

 

[St. Widge]

Other than the age issue, Payton had the same issues listed about from BB. He had a team with no succession plan for when Brees retired and he wants total control over a team. Parcells was more or less in the same position after the Giants. Yet teams hired them. Right now teams are looking for the hot young prospect but I would bet by next year there will be a team that thinks they are very close that hires BB due to his experience and thinks he can get them the little bit more they need to get to the SB or win it.

Could be a team like Buffalo, Dallas, Philly or even the Saints if the new OC fails and DA gets fired. He's likely not a fit for a young team that needs to be built.

 

[SaintsMan209]

maybe he can talk Tom Brady out of retirement to help him?

 

[Saintman2884]

Other than the age issue, Payton had the same issues listed about from BB. He had a team with no succession plan for when Brees retired and he wants total control over a team. Parcells was more or less in the same position after the Giants. Yet teams hired them. Right now teams are looking for the hot young prospect but I would bet by next year there will be a team that thinks they are very close that hires BB due to his experience and thinks he can get them the little bit more they need to get to the SB or win it.

Could be a team like Buffalo, Dallas, Philly or even the Saints if the new OC fails and DA gets fired. He's likely not a fit for a young team that needs to be built.

What are the odds Dallas does likely end up being that team by this time next year, Widge? I strongly suspect Jerry Jones has realized Mike McCarthy probably won't be taking the Cowboys to any SB, much less an NFCCG any time soon, but he doesn't want to pay out the remaining part, the last year of his 5-yesr HC contract McCarthy signed back in 2020 so he'll play out his last year as a lame-duck HC and once Dallas gets knocked out of the post-season or doesn't make it at all, he's done.

Then...we might see Belichick gets his last, legitimate chance at winning another Super Bowl or break Shula's all-time NFL wins mark, which he seems obsessed towards surpassing. His tenacious obsession as it relates towards reaching this goal impresses me, Widge, as someone who has OCD, ADHD, and ADD. Whether BB will accept a job where he's just a HEAD COACH, instead of expecting or believing he'll also get the same level of personnel control in Dallas as he did in New England remains problematic and unlikely, IMHO, to be granted, considering how much of a possessive, control freak Jones is.

 

[buzd]

He should retire, and enjoy more time with his family. He had a great career and accomplished so many great things. I would not let someone to tell me when it is time to go, I would leave one top.

How do you know his family likes him (and vice versa) ?