Bill Belichick remains a free agent after meeting with the Atlanta Falcons multiple times, and there seems to be a growing believe that he could a free agent in 2024.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter provided an update on Belichick during an appearance on “Get Up” Thursday morning. Schefter mentioned how the Falcons interviewed Belichick twice. But the Falcons described their head coach search to Schefter as “wide open” even after the second meeting with Belichick. That has led Schefter to believe Belichick is not the favorite for the Atlanta job.
“They interviewed him for a second time last Friday in person. Since then, the Falcons have paraded through a series of candidates for second interviews and other interviews and scheduled more talks with other candidates,” Schefter said. “That doesn’t sound like a team that’s ready to make a move on Bill Belichick. … If it’s wide open after you’ve met with Bill Belichick twice, that certainly tells you that he’s not the favorite for the job.”
Aside from the Falcons, three other teams still have head coach vacancies — the Washington Commanders, Carolina Panthers and Seattle Seahawks. Belichick is not considered a candidate for any of those jobs, and Schefter says there is a “real possibility” the 71-year-old may not find a landing spot.
“He has not talked to any of the other three teams,” Schefter added. “So, of the four teams with remaining openings, there’s the real possibility that he’s not going to get any of these head coaching jobs.”
After interviewing twice, Bill Belichick is not the favorite for the Atlanta Falcons job, says Adam Schefter
VIDEOpic.twitter.com/dlH3bfPz3c
— Joe Schad (@schadjoe) January 25, 2024
A recent report claimed Falcons owner Arthur Blank “desperately” wants to hire Belichick. It is possible that Belichick is the one who is not sold on the job. Blank could also be receiving pushback from within, as Belichick might want to clean house if he takes over in Atlanta.
WFAN’s Boomer Esiason said on Wednesday that he has been told Belichick does not want to be forced to work with certain front-office people. You can hear Esiason’s comments at the 27-second mark below:
Boomer says Ben Johnson will be the next head coach of the Commanders 👀 @WFANmornings @GioWFAN pic.twitter.com/v5TqiWSuTb
— WFAN Sports Radio (@WFAN660) January 24, 2024
Belichick won six Super Bowls with the New England Patriots and is arguably the greatest coach of all time. However, his age and the current state of the Patriots’ roster may be working against him. There are probably few — if any — teams that want to hire a 71-year-old coach and let him reshape the front office, especially with the poor job Belichick did in the draft and free agency after Tom Brady left the Patriots.
If the Falcons do wind up hiring someone else, Belichick may need to wait until 2025 to explore other options.
