This season’s Black Monday was a bit more brutal in memory. As soon as Arthur Smith and Ron Rivera got the boot, speculations reached mountain-high about Bill Belichick, who also later parted ways with the Patriots after staying loyal to the franchise for over two decades. While a few departed coaches like Josh McDaniels and Arthur are no longer in the head coaching question, Belichick has become the talk of the town, with more than a few recommendations. However, the eight-time Super Bowl-winning coach now has to scratch the Chargers off his list, as they have sealed the deal with Jim Harbaugh.
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In the past few days, there have been only four head coaching vacancies announced — by the Falcons, Seahawks, Commanders, and Panthers. Nevertheless, the Cardiac Cats have already found their replacement for Frank Reich in Buccaneers OC Dave Canales. Arthur Smith’s position in the Falcons was also filled by the Rams’ defensive coordinator, Raheem Morris.
Therefore, only the Commanders and the Seahawks remain the contenders in search of a head coach. Both of these teams struggled on both sides of the ball, and for them to consider Belichick, who’s known for his defensive prowess, they will need to make a lot of restructuring in the offense, which the former Patriots HC has known to ignore in the post-Brady era.
Nonetheless, Belichick could become a perfect match for a team like the Eagles, who have excelled in offense for the past few seasons, while their secondary couldn’t hold its ground. However, the reigning NFC champs are very unlikely to sack Nick Sirianni, who recently lost his offensive coordinator, Brian Johnson, along with Sean Desai and Matt Patricia. If they were to part ways with Sirianni, it would have happened by now.
The only two head coaches who are in the hot seat despite boasting a formidable offense are Mike McCarthy and Sean McDermott. There has been no shortage of speculation around the two head coaches after McCarthy fumbled once again in the playoffs and McDermott fell short at home while facing their biggest conference rivals, the Chiefs. So, the question remains — is their time up, and will the Bills and the Cowboys consider a coach like Belichick?
Just Like Tom Brady, Bill Belichick Struggles to Find a New Home
When Tom Brady tried his hand at free agency after spending two decades with the Patriots, there were more than a few offers on the table for the six-time Super Bowl champ. A lot of speculation also surfaced about a power struggle within his then-former home, and how Brady had to prove his worth by doing it all over again. TB12 did exactly that with Bruce Arians and led the Bucs to a Super Bowl victory after almost two decades.
Belichick faces a similar dilemma since he was not only the head coach of the Patriots but also the GM. His reputation is on the line, as a power-struggle story broke out as soon as he parted ways with the franchise. While a few teams have shown significant interest in him, most of them have specifically stated that they only want him as the head coach.
With this, it’s safe to say Belichick currently has a lot on his plate. Would he choose to coach a team with reduced authority? For now, it’s nothing but uncertain. However, it should be mentioned how almost the entire league regretted not signing Brady after he announced free agency. So, could it not be the same in Belichick’s case as well?
Notably, Lions OC Ben Johnson is rumored to clinch the coaching job at Washington after a Super Bowl-worthy performance this season. For now, the Seahawks seem to be Belichick’s only option, but rumors suggest that he’s viewed as a ‘long shot’ for the head coaching job. Therefore, he might need to wait till next year’s coaching cycle.
