Getty Former Cowboys WR Dez Bryant doesn't believe Dallas will pursue Bill Belichick as head coach.
Former Dallas Cowboys receiver Dez Bryant doesn’t believe in the Bill Belichick-to-Dallas hype for a unique reason.
During the midst of the Cowboys’ 48-32 blowout loss to the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, January 14, social media was buzzing due to the idea of head coach Mike McCarthy being replaced by former New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick.
However, Bryant brought up one specific reason why he doesn’t believe that will happen — because Belichick blocked the idea of releasing former Cowboys back Ezekiel Elliott before the conclusion of the regular season to allow him to-rejoin Dallas for their playoff run.
Why the Patriots Didn’t Release Ezekiel Elliott for Cowboys Playoff Run
The Patriots were out of playoff contention earlier than just about every NFL team due to their 4-13 record, the second-worst mark in the league. The idea of veterans being released by non-contending teams before the conclusion of the regular season to join a contender is a common practice.
Four-time Pro Bowl back Dalvin Cook was one of the more recent examples, with the New York Jets releasing him prior to the end of the regular season. Cook then signed with the Baltimore Ravens prior to their Week 18 season finale for their playoff run.
While the claim by Bryant is definitely a wild one, it is worth noting that Elliott played a key role in the Patriots’ offense during the entire season, whereas Cook barely saw any playing time during his last few weeks with the Jets.
Elliott — who was expected to play a mainly backup role for New England this season — ended up starting five games and seeing 51% of the offensive snaps on the season. Furthermore, he started the Patriots’ final five games at running back — following a season-ending injury to Rhamondre Stevenson — totaling 72 carries for 213 yards with 27 catches for 159 receiving yards during that time frame.
By comparison, Cook did not play in the final two games he was on the Jets’ roster.
In other words, it’s clear Belichick — who was coaching for his job during the last half of the season — likely kept Elliott due to his value to the Patriots’ offense rather than any spite or ill will towards the Cowboys.
Considering the Cowboys could soon be on the search for a new head coach following another loss for McCarthy early in the playoffs, it’s hard to envision to Dallas not showing interest in Belichick even if Bryant’s claim is true.
Jason Garrett: Jerry Jones and Bill Belichick Are ‘Good Friends’
As buzz continues to pile up regarding McCarthy’s possible firing, there continues to be more of an argument for why the Cowboys will pursue Belichick should they move on from their current head coach.
Former Cowboys coach Jason Garrett — who was let go following the conclusion of the 2019 season after coming up short in the postseason multiple times — brought up how Belichick and Jones are actually “good friends.”
“They’re actually close. They’re good friends. They really like and respect each other,” former Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett said on NBC’s “Football Night in America” on Sunday night, via WEEI’s Mike Kadlick. “But the working relationship? It’ll be interesting.”
Considering Belichick’s coaching resume in the playoffs — record six Super Bowl wins as a head coach and 31 victories in the playoffs — it may be too enticing for Jones to pass up on the idea of bringing in Belichick.