Louis Riddick thinks Bill Belichick would be a ‘perfect’ fit as head coach of the Cowboys
Dallas could make a coaching change after a disappointing playoff loss.
Louis Riddick on Bill Belichick and the Cowboys: Following Bill Belichick’s departure from the Patriots, speculation about his next stop has so far centered around the teams with current coaching vacancies.
Yet arguably the most intriguing possibility for Belichick remains a team that — as things currently stand — still has a head coach. The Cowboys continue to employ Mike McCarthy, but following the ignominious first-round playoff exit via a 48-32 home defeat to the Packers on Sunday, Dallas owner Jerry Jones could be looking to make a change.
Belichick, on the surface, may not make sense for the Cowboys. Jones, 81, is both owner and general manager, and the longtime New England coach might not want to have someone else controlling personnel decisions.
One former Belichick player disputed that idea, however, citing several factors.
Louis Riddick, an ESPN analyst (who played for Belichick’s Browns in the 1990s), discussed the issue during a “Get Up!” segment on Tuesday morning.
“It makes sense, right?” Riddick argued of Belichick to the Cowboys. “Bill wants to go somewhere where he has a veteran quarterback, who understands how to play the game on a high level, [and] who maybe needs his kind of tutelage in the postseason to go, ‘Hey, look this is what we’re going to do. This is how I’m going to help you, and protect you.'”
The Cowboys, with 30-year-old Dak Prescott at quarterback, could provide a viable opportunity for Belichick to take over and win immediately.
Riddick also noted that the defensive struggles that the Cowboys endured in the playoff loss — specifically the inability to stop the run — would be solvable problems for Belichick.
“Bill wants it strong down the middle, build inside-out, defend the middle of the field first,” Riddick said of a Belichick defense.
“That ain’t happening with a Bill Belichick-coached defense,” he said of the abysmal performance on Sunday. “If he can deal with the rest of the stuff, he’s perfect for Dallas. He’s perfect.”
Trivia: Only three coaches in football history have won both a college national championship and a Super Bowl in their career. The Cowboys have employed two of them. Can you name them?
(Answer at the bottom).
Hint: One succeeded the other in Dallas.
Scores and schedules:
On Monday, the Bruins defeated the Devils 3-0 at home.
Also from Monday, the Celtics won 105-96 against the Raptors. Boston will host the Spurs at home tomorrow at 7:30 p.m.
Today, the women’s edition of the Beanpot gets underway at Harvard, with Boston College vs. Boston University at 4 p.m. and Northeastern at Harvard at 7:30 p.m. The consolation and championship games will then take place at TD Garden on Jan. 23.
Tomorrow, Boston PWHL team will be on the road to play Toronto at 7 p.m.
More from Boston.com:
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- Bill Belichick lands first coaching interview after leaving Patriots
- ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. maps out Patriots’ draft strategy with No. 3 pick
- Report: Bill Belichick’s sons have been offered opportunity to return to Patriots
- Bill Belichick to the Cowboys? Devin McCourty explains why it makes sense
- James White details ‘awkward’ rift between Tom Brady, Bill Belichick
- Report: Patriots request interview with Falcons special teams coach
Julian Edelman and Danny Amendola: As a recent guest on Edelman’s podcast, “Games with Names,” the former Patriots wide receiver recounted one of the memorable plays in his New England postseason career.
The last game for Jason Kelce: Following the Eagles’ playoff defeat on Monday, center Jason Kelce reportedly told teammates that he will retire. Kelce, 36, was originally a sixth-round pick, but worked his way to becoming a six-time First-team All-Pro.
On this day: In 2005, the Patriots defeated the Colts for the second consecutive postseason in snowy conditions at Gillette Stadium. Behind a stout defense that created turnovers against Peyton Manning, and 210 rushing yards (highlighted by 144 from Corey Dillon), New England sent Indianapolis home 20-3 en route to a second straight Super Bowl win.
Daily highlight: A creative shootout finish from Blue Jackets winger Kirill Marchenko.
Trivia answer: Jimmy Johnson and Barry Switzer
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