Eagles star Jason Kelce rues missed Bill Belichick to Chargers opportunity: “It was gonna be something special”
Bill Belichick has been having an interesting offseason as he remains a free agent after parting ways with the New England Patriots. Despite being arguably the greatest head coach in NFL history, he has yet to land a new job ahead of the 2024 season.
In fact, the Atlanta Falcons were the only team that even interviewed him and they decided to hire Raheem Morris instead.
It's unclear if his lack of interviews is due to uninterested teams, his previous confidence in landing the Falcons' job, or simply his choice to pass on certain openings.
Regardless of the reasoning, Jason Kece believes that Bill Belichick missed out on a perfect opportunity to land in an ideal situation with the Los Angeles Chargers.
Here's what Kelce had to say during a recent New Heights episode:
“I've been waiting to see where Bill (Belichick) lands. I thought this was the job (Chargers) that made the most sense for Bill. Because you know a Belichick defense is gonna be lights out. And we've seen what he can do with a premier quarterback."
“To have (Justin) Herbert there in LA, I don't why, I just felt like if Bill goes there, they can have that guy on offense, and Bill can handle the defense. It was gonna be something special.”
Kelce's suggestion makes sense, as the Chargers were probably the most win-now team with a head coaching vacancy this year.
They notoriously underachieved with former head coach Brandon Staley, making just one appearance in the NFL playoffs despite having one of the most talented rosters in the league.
Pairing Bill Belichick with Justin Herbert reminds Jason Kelce of a similar situation in New England during the Tom Brady era. The Patriots won six Super Bowl rings by combing a Belichick defense with an elite quarterback.
It may have been an ideal situation for the head coach, but it's not going to happen, as they have already hired Jim Harbaugh to fill the position.
What could be Bill Belichick's next move?
If Bill Belichick wants to remain a head coach for the upcoming 2024 NFL season, his options appear to be severely limited. The Seattle Seahawks and Washington Commanders are the only two teams with a current vacancy.
Unless someone like Andy Reid retires, opening the position for the Kansas City Chiefs, it's unlikely that Belichick would land anywhere else.
Another possibility for Belichick is to take the 2024 season off and make a return next season in 2025, when he could potentially have more options to choose from.
Sean Payton took a similar approach, spending one season in broadcasting before making a return to the NFL. It's possible Belichick does the same thing, as several networks are rumored to be interested in signing him.
How much are the Chargers paying Jim Harbaugh?
The Los Angeles Chargers have made the biggest splash of the 2024 head coaching cycle so far by signing Jim Harbaugh. He won a college football National Championship last season with the Michigan Wolverines and previously helped the San Francisco 49ers make a Super Bowl appearance.
Not only did the Chargers hire him, but they also instantly made him one of the highest-paid coaches in NFL history. He is set to make $80 million across the next five years, averaging out to $16 million per season.