After the Atlanta Falcons elected to pass on all-time great head coach Bill Belichick in favor of former Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris, the legendary coach will likely wait until 2025 for his next opportunity.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport suggests that even if Belichick takes a year off, he may still be the most talked-about coach.
“The amount of TV time we are going to fill with: ‘Will Belichick eventually take over for X [insert name of coach]?’ Is going to be epic and I’m here for all of it,” said Rapoport.
Rapoport is essentially comparing the Belichick sweepstakes to a soap opera, filled with plenty of drama. Perhaps the most intriguing narrative surrounding the long-time head coach of the New England Patriots is the possibility of where he may end up in 2025, with two bitter rivals named as potential suitors.
This season, the Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys fell well short of their lofty organizational expectations, being eliminated from the playoffs during the NFL’s Super Wild Card Weekend. The poor performances of the Eagles and Cowboys to finish the season led to questions about their respective head coaches, Nick Sirianni and Mike McCarthy, and their futures with the franchises.
Ultimately, Philly and Dallas elected to retain their head coaches for the upcoming season. However, they are both certainly on the hot seat if their teams disappoint again, which led to Rapoport connecting Belichick to the two NFC East rivals for a 2025 coaching gig.
“What if the Dallas Cowboys don’t get it done with Mike McCarthy? What if Nick Sirianni with the Philadelphia Eagles just do not have the kind of year that they want? There is Belichick looming,” Rapoport stated.
The Falcons seemed to be Belichick’s only hope of being a head coach in 2024, but the hiring of Morris has now led the six-time Super Bowl-winning coach to potentially sit out a season in hopes of a prime opportunity emerging.
Until then, Rapoport made it clear that even if Belichick isn’t on an NFL sideline next season, there will be plenty to discuss regarding his future.
