Bill Belichick may be 72 years old and may have been passed over in this year’s hiring cycle, but his desire to continue coaching reportedly hasn’t gone away.
In January, Bill Belichick and New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft announced that they were parting ways after 24 seasons together. Belichick had been the Patriots’ head coach since 2000, leading them to nine AFC Championship banners and six Super Bowl titles.
Many were surprised when Belichick was passed over in this year’s hiring cycle. The Atlanta Falcons were actually the only team who interviewed Belichick, and they wound up hiring ex-Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris for their HC role.
Speaking on “The Rich Eisen Show”, NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero reported that Belichick plans to return to the sidelines next year, when he’ll be 73 years of age:
“I know this: Bill Belichick intends to coach in 2025. He’s staying engaged in the game, he’s showing up to roasts. He’s now going to be on ‘Inside The NFL’. We’ve seen him show up to different events…the Manning Passing Academy…
He’ll be trying to remind you that he’s not Darth Vader, that there’s more to Bill Belichick…He’s fully invested in, he wants to coach again. He wants to pursue the all-time wins record. Those are things that really matter a lot to Bill Belichick.”
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There has been speculation that Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones may replace head coach Mike McCarthy with Belichick. But Pelissero doesn’t see it, noting that it’d be difficult for the two to work together.
The 2024 NFL season will mark the first year that Belichick has not worked as a coach since 1974. He began his coaching career in the NFL as an assistant with the Baltimore Colts in 1975.
Bill Belichick Should Be A Top Target For Teams Next Year
Bill Belichick is the most accomplished head coach in NFL history, so it’s difficult to imagine him being passed over in the hiring cycle for a second straight year.
Belichick’s age (75 in April next year) may scare some rebuilding teams off. But he’s the ideal hire for a team looking to make that next jump to Super Bowl contender, or a team in win-now mode that has continuously come up short.
It’s unlikely that Belichick will get total control over player personnel after serving as the de facto GM in New England. But his resume and status as the greatest defensive-minded coach ever should help him land a new head coaching position next year.
