Is Bill Belichick retiring? Everything we know about ex-Patriots HC's plans after 6 Super Bowls and 24 years in New England
Bill Belichick leaving the New England Patriots was certainly seen as a possibility after a 2023 NFL season that yielded just four wins. In any case, Belichick will leave New England as a certified legend of the sport.
Belichick had a year left on his contract but according to multiple reports, the franchise will allow him to leave without seeking compensation. Which begs the question:
Did Bill Belichick retire from the NFL?
According to The Athletic's Jeff Howe, who was previously on the Patriots beat, Belichick is very much in the running for a job in 2024.
Howe tweeted in the aftermath:
"Sources close to Belichick have said this week they believe he still wants to chase down this record (of the winningest NFL head coach of all time). With other openings around the league, he may have a chance to continue coaching if that's the case."
Back in November, Sportskeeda's very own Tony Pauline got to the bottom of the Los Angeles Chargers' rumored interest in Belichick.
Pauline reported:
"Rumors have run rampant that Bill Belichick will end up with the Chargers. Sources tell me that’s complete speculation at this point, and they question whether Chargers ownership would be willing to pick up the hefty price tag that comes with Belichick."
While the Chargers' situation may certainly be appealing to Belichick given Justin Herbert's quality, there are few things that may appeal to the former Patriots HC above and beyond the QB situation. Per Over The Cap, the Chargers are projected to be $42,186,936 over the salary cap heading into the offseason with a number of seemingly overpaid players on the roster.
Exploring Bill Belichick's record without Tom Brady
Belichick's record without Tom Brady under center has been a subject of discussion ever since the iconic quarterback decided to leave for the warmer climates of Tampa Bay.
Since Brady left New England, Belichick has gone 30-38 over the past four seasons.
Despite trying out the likes of Cam Newton, Mac Jones and even Bailey Zappe under center, the Patriots have not found any stability as a franchise.
Who will replace Bill Belichick with the Patriots?
Mike Vrabel, of course, is the one man widely expected to fill Belichick's boots.
The Titans decided it was "too complicated" to trade Vrabel and ended up firing him earlier this week.
ESPN's Dianna Russini reported:
"The Titans believed trading Vrabel was too complicated and would take too long, per sources. They wanted to move on quickly. I was told Vrabel never asked ownership for a trade or asked out of Tennessee."
In any case, that leaves the door wide open for the Patriots to hire Mike Vrabel. The Boston Globe earlier reported that Vrabel is seen as a 'home run' hire by Robert Kraft. Now that there are no barriers to hiring him, one would expect the Patriots to move swiftly.
Which NFL head coaches have been fired so far?
As of Thursday, January 11, there are a total of eight head coach vacancies in the league, including the Patriots.
Black Monday began with the Atlanta Falcons firing Arthur Smith. The Washington Commanders then parted ways with Ron Rivera and on Tuesday, January 9, the Tennessee Titans caught everyone off-guard by firing Mike Vrabel. Last night, Pete Carroll chose to call time on his coaching tenure in Seattle, which makes it four head coaches vacating their jobs this week in the NFL.
The likes of Frank Reich (Panthers), Josh McDaniels (Raiders), and Brandon Staley (Chargers) were fired towards the end of 2023.
McDaniels' firing, however, is an interesting one for Belichick. If (when?) Belichick lands another job in the NFL, one would expect his disciple McDaniels to join the coaching staff in some capacity.