Why was Bill Belichick passed over this coaching cycle?

Bill Belichick has won more Super Bowls than any coach and more games than everyone except Don Shula.

Still, he hasn’t landed a new head coaching position.

An iconic coach who built a two-decade dynasty in New England and teamed with Tom Brady to lead the Patriots to six championships somehow got shut out in a hiring cycle that started with eight openings.

“I was surprised. I thought there would be quite a bit of interest in someone who has won that much and is available,” Hall of Fame coach Tony Dungy told the AP. “Coach Belichick is obviously a legend and a winner.”

The last opening was filled Thursday when Washington turned to Dan Quinn, whose team blew a 28-3 lead against Belichick seven years ago as Brady led the Patriots to a 34-28 victory over the Atlanta Falcons in the greatest Super Bowl comeback in league history. 

[Related: Commanders reportedly considered Bill Belichick before hiring Dan Quinn]

Belichick interviewed twice with Atlanta after parting from the Patriots, but the Falcons hired Raheem Morris, who is 21-38 as a head coach.

One theory why Belichick didn’t get hired is that he still wants full control over personnel decisions, which Patriots owner Robert Kraft gave him in New England after he won his third Super Bowl.

What to make of Belichick not being hired?

Belichick said in his departure from the Patriots that he was open to a more traditional front-office structure in which a general manager had the final say. But a person informed of Belichick’s discussions with the Falcons told the AP he still wanted full control. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the conversations were private.

“Things are changing in the NFL,” said Tedy Bruschi, who was a Pro Bowl linebacker in New England under Belichick. “There’s more talk about ownership and collaboration. It’s becoming more organic where everybody is involved and everyone’s voice is heard. I don’t know if you can win football games that way, honestly. Eventually,…

Source link : https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/why-was-bill-belichick-passed-over-this-coaching-cycle

Author :

Publish date : 2024-02-02 16:15:06

Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.