Belichick interested in Giants, Cowboys or Eagles: report
Bill Belichick is reportedly eyeing the NFC East — and possibly the Giants.
The now-former Patriots coach privately told confidants he’s interested in the Giants, Cowboys and Eagles should their head coaching jobs become vacant after the 2024 season, according to a wide-ranging ESPN report published Wednesday.
Belichick won two Super Bowls as the Giants’ defensive coordinator under Bill Parcells after the 1986 and 1990 seasons.
His reported interest in a return, or in joining a Giants rival, represented only a small portion of ESPN’s in-depth dive into Belichick’s continued unemployment after parting ways with the Patriots in January.
Belichick, who turned 72 this week, won six Super Bowls in his 24 years as Patriots head coach, but endured losing seasons in three of the last four, including a career-worst 4-13 record in 2023.
He interviewed twice with the Falcons this offseason, including during a one-onone chat with owner Arthur Blank aboard the latter’s yacht, and considered himself the favorite in the team’s search for a head coach, according to ESPN.
Belichick reportedly assured the Falcons he wouldn’t require the front-office control he possessed with the Patriots and still believed he would be hired as late as on the day Atlanta ultimately selected Raheem
Morris. When Blank and the Falcons brass voted on candidates, none ranked Belichick in their top three, according to the report.
Blank reportedly had a conversation amid the search with Patriots owner Robert Kraft, whom sources told ESPN spoke with “some candor” about Belichick. Kraft’s comments were allegedly “a big part” of why Atlanta opted against hiring the coach, a source connected to Belichick claimed to the outlet.
“Robert steadfastly denies saying anything negative to Arthur Blank about Bill Belichick after Robert and Bill mutually agreed to part ways,” a Patriots spokesman said. “In fact, Robert advocated for Bill to get the job.”
Belichick’s name was also linked to the Cowboys and Eagles after their disappointing first-round playoff exits, though Dallas opted to stick with Mike McCarthy and Philadelphia stayed with Nick Sirianni. Brian Daboll won NFL Coach of the Year honors after leading the Giants to the playoffs and a wild-card round win in 2022, but is coming off of a 6-11 season in 2023.
“I don’t think Bill Belichick will ever be a head coach again in the National Football League,” a friend of Belichick told an ESPN source. “Unless it’s (for Cowboys owner) Jerry Jones.”
Belichick boasts 333 wins between the regular season and playoffs — 14 shy of Don Shula’s record of 347.