Damien Woody explained the scenario he thinks could lead to Bill Belichick’s NFL return
"He's a football savant."
Damien Woody’s defense of Bill Belichick: One of the undeniably surprising developments of Bill Belichick’s post-Patriots career has been the lukewarm reception he’s received from multiple NFL teams that had head coaching vacancies.
Aside from the Falcons (where Belichick had multiple interviews before Atlanta ultimately decided to hire Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris), the coach who won the Patriots six Super Bowls has reportedly not been seriously pursued.
Despite the apparent lack of interest in Belichick, one of his former players still thinks he could lead a Super Bowl run. Speaking on ESPN’s “Get Up!” on Thursday, former Patriots center Damien Woody was part of a discussion about whether or not Belichick could lead a talented team — the Eagles and Cowboys were specifically mentioned — if there was coaching change in the future.
Asked if he thinks Belichick can still take a “good team over the top” to win a championship, the former Patriots center backed Belichick.
“I do, because I think there’s no one out there X’s and O’s-wise that can compete with him,” said Woody.
“He’s a football savant. Coming from a guy who played under Bill, no one had me prepared better,” Woody added.
In that regard, Woody sees a potential fit with a roster like Dallas.
“When we talk about the Dallas Cowboys, what do we always talk about?” he asked. “We always talk about the stupid penalties, we always talk about about clock management, we always talk about situational football.
“Who is better than Bill Belichick in those areas? No one,” Woody noted.
The Cowboys recently decided to stick with current head coach Mike McCarthy, though Woody thinks another year of playoff disappointment might be Belichick’s ticket back into the NFL.
“To me, if Mike McCarthy falls flat on his face, I would definitely take a look at Bill.”
Trivia: Damien Woody was picked 17th overall by the Patriots in 1999. New England had a second first-round pick in that draft. What player did the Patriots take with the 28th pick?
(Answer at the bottom).
Hint: He was the first Ohio State player to win the Butkus Award at the college level.
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USA wins: The United States men’s team defeated Czechia 4-0 to win gold at the 2024 Winter Youth Olympic Games in South Korea.
On this day: In 2015, Malcolm Butler made one of the great plays in Super Bowl history, intercepting Russell Wilson at the goal-line to dramatically end the Seahawks’ final drive.
The Patriots emerged from a wild game — having trailed in the second half by as much as 10 points — to win Super Bowl XLIX (New England’s fourth overall) by a 28-24 final score.
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Trivia answer: Andy Katzenmoyer
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