Getty Bill Belichick, Patriots coach, has spoken highly of Kyle Dugger
Bill Belichick may have run out of potential coaching options for 2024, but one analyst believes there could be an unlikely landing spot — the rival Buffalo Bills.
Belichick landed an interview with the Atlanta Falcons but lost out to Raheem Morris. With Jim Harbaugh jumping from the college ranks to take over with the Los Angeles Chargers, Belichick has no current job openings after leaving the New England Patriots.
ESPN Radio’s Evan Cohen suggested that he could be a fit in Buffalo, giving the Bills the final piece needed to get over the hump in a competitive AFC and into the Super Bowl.
Bill Belichick Could Turn Buffalo into Super Bowl Contenders
In a post on X, Cohen wrote that Belichick joining the Bills “makes too much sense,” noting that the Bills already have a franchise quarterback in Josh Allen but a recent history of underachieving that he could help correct.
Cohen added that the Bills could be immediate Super Bowl contenders under Belichick and give the legendary coach a good chance to set the all-time record for wins within his first two seasons. Belichick is third all-time with 302 total wins, 26 wins behind Don Shula. Cohen wrote that he could achieve that within two years in Buffalo.
Cohen’s suggestion may have been partly tongue-in-cheek — he concluded by suggesting that Bills head coach Sean McDermott could return to the Carolina Panthers — but others have speculated that Belichick could make a good fit in Buffalo.
Boston radio commentator Mark Dondero said if the Bills took the same approach as the title-chasing Milwaukee Bucks, they would shuttle McDermott and snag Belichick.
“Belichick to Atlanta never made sense to me,” Dondero wrote on X. “Bill needs the exact same thing that Brady needed when he left. A stacked roster (or in Bill’s case an elite quarterback) ready to win now. If Buffalo had the Milwaukee Bucks mindset that’d be the one.”
Breaking: The #Falcons are hiring #Rams DC Raheem Morris as their new HC, per @AdamSchefter. The once interim head coach in Atlanta now gets the full time job.
And this means no Belichick in Atlanta.
The Bills have not shown any signs of turning their back on McDermott, despite some early season struggles. The Bills fell to 6-6 after an overtime loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, then reeled off five straight wins to close out the season, taking their fourth straight AFC East title with a season-finale win over the Miami Dolphins.
Though the Bills lost in the divisional round of the playoffs for the third straight season, insiders have said that McDermott’s job is safe and owner Terry Pegula has no intentions of making a change.
Bills coach Sean McDermott on the message from owner Terry Pegula: “Very, very supportive. … He’s disappointed like he are, but he’s very supportive. He understands how hard it is to get to that ultimate goal.”
Former Patriots Coach Could Enjoy a Year Off
Jordan Dajani of CBS Sports broke down the potential options for Belichick in 2024. While he noted that both the Bills and New York Jets could be suitors, he noted that the best options could be a year away from the NFL.
“Wouldn’t it be nice to take a year off? This may be the most likely possibility,” he wrote.
But Dajani added that the allure of setting the all-time record for coaching wins could be too strong for Belichick, who would likely return to the NFL at some point to chase the record.