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Could Tom Brady see Bill Belichick retiring after an underwhelming job search?
"I think the fire burns with him."
Once viewed as the crown jewel of the offseason, it’s looking more and more likely that Bill Belichick isn’t going to be coaching in 2024.
Considering the resume that Belichick crafted over his 24 seasons in New England, it was to be expected that several teams were going to line up for the legendary coach’s services after he officially hit the open market earlier this month.
Now, it looks like Belichick has few options on the market.
The 71-year-old coach has only interviewed with one team this offseason in the Atlanta Falcons. Despite Belichick at one point being tabbed as a frontrunner for that head-coaching vacancy, Atlanta ultimately opted to hire Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris over him last week.
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The Washington Commanders and Seattle Seahawks are the only two NFL franchises who currently have a vacancy for the head coaching position. And with Belichick not linked to either, it remains to be seen what his next move will be.
Belichick could wait for more opportunities to arise in 2025, with a potential pivot to broadcasting a tangible option in 2024.
But with Belichick not getting any younger, could the eight-time Super Bowl champion decide to retire instead of holding out hope for another premier gig opening up in 2025?
Count Tom Brady — his quarterback for two decades in Foxborough — among those who can’t see Belichick walking away from football any time soon.
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“I think the fire burns with him,” Brady said Tuesday during an interview on FS1’s “The Herd with Colin Cowherd” show. “Because he loves the sport. He loves the preparation. He’s been doing it for decades. And, in my mind, there’s nobody better than him at it. So, whoever gets him at some point is gonna have, in my opinion, the greatest coach ever.
“And I know he’s as competitive as can be, and he wants to be out there winning football games as a coach.”
Even though Belichick’s lackluster job search this winter has come as a surprise, Robert Kraft did note on the day that the Patriots parted ways with their head coach that he expected Belichick would continue coaching the days ahead.
“I thank Coach Bill for his hard work and dedication,” Kraft noted. “It will be difficult to see him in a cutoff hoodie on the sideline, but I will always wish him continued success, except when he’s playing our beloved Patriots.”
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