Atlanta Falcons hire Raheem Morris as new head coach. Why is that a problem for Bill Belichick?
With the Falcons having hired a new head coach, the post that many believed would be taken by the legendary former Patriots coach has now been filled.
As surprising as it may seem, the reality is that options for the New England Patriots former coach appear to be running out. While there are a few potential landing spots that might be viable, it’s starting to look like he may have to sit out a season.
The situation that Bill Belichick faces
By now you probably know that the Atlanta Falcons have hired Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator, Raheem Morris, as their new head coach. The news was first reported on Thursday and then later confirmed by the Rams themselves. Now, as you also probably know, that move carries some significant repercussions, in that it will likely have a major effect on the future of Bill Belichick, the Patriots’ former coach who as things stand is still out of the job and with no clear sign that the situation will change.
To be clear, the Falcons job was the only one that Belichick actually interviewed for and by all accounts was widely considered to be the favorite to land it. Yet, that turned out to not be the case and so, the 71-year-old now faces an uncertain future. With that said, reports earlier this week indicated that there were several teams teams “quietly considering a potential run at Belichick.” This of course brings us to the simple question: What next for Bill Belichick?
Maybe the Washington Commanders?
Before we debate the plausibility of such a move, the simple truth is that the Commanders are one of two teams still in need of a new head coach. Then, there is also the idea that many view the potential move as a very attractive one, with Josh Harris leading and Adam Peters as the new general manager. One potential obstacle is the fact that the Detroit Lions offensive coordinator has been widely promoted as the favorite for the job, however, with the Lions now in the NFC Championship game, that’s not likely to happen anytime soon. Further compounding the situation is the idea that the Commanders reportedly have no interest in Belichick.
There’s also the Seattle Seahawks
As mentioned above, there are two teams currently without a head coach and the the Seahawks are the other. As per reports, there does seem to be some weight in the idea of the Seahawks pursuing Belichick. On the other hand, such a move would see the franchise replacing their 72-year-old coach with one who is 71 years old, something that doesn’t seem to be logical. Where the team itself is concerned, one can see how it might be an attractive option for Belichick as the roster contains the Comeback Player of the Year at quarterback, a young running back, an impressive group of wide receivers, and a solid defensive core. Keep an eye on this one.
What about the AFC East?
There is a school of thought that suggests that Belichick’s next job could be with a rival. From the New York Jets who collapsed after losing Aaron Rodgers, to the 11-6 Cleveland Browns who managed to make the playoffs despite their own loss of their starting quarterback. The bottom line is, that both teams could be in line for a shake-up in the coaching department. That being said, reports indicated that Jets coach Robert Saleh is not in the hot seat, but when considering the fact that his record with the team is 18-33, one has to wonder how long will that last. This brings us to the Buffalo Bills who have now lost in the divisional round in three consecutive campaigns. The prospect of Belichick spearheading a Bills revival is an attractive one, to say the least.
Could Bill Belichick skip a season?
To be honest, it may just be that this is the most probable scenario. Yes, indeed, Belichick himself does not appear to be considering the idea of retiring, and with good reason too. If you didn’t know he is currently 26 wins off of tying Don Shula’s record for the most regular-season wins in NFL history, as well as 14 wins from equaling Shula for most wins including playoffs. With that in mind, one can probably imagine that Belichick isn’t looking to call it quits anytime soon with such a small number of wins between himself and his place in the history books. Ultimately, we may yet see him taking on a consultancy role with for Jerry Jones, something that has previously been discussed, but whatever the case we bet that we haven’t seen the last of Belichick if even we don’t see him this coming season.