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The Las Vegas Raiders launching their head coaching search and have already been linked to some notable names. One of the biggest names who was connected to the team was UNC head coach Bill Belichick.
The former longtime New England Patriots head coach recently took a job to be the head coach at UNC and hasn’t even coached a game yet. That didn’t stop NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero from reporting that Tom Brady had reached out to Belichick about the Raiders opening.
The two worked together for over a decade in New England and won six Super Bowls. As NFL interest in Belichick seemed to wane, he decided to go coach in college. That’s a decision he’s going to stand by. According to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini, has made it clear that he’s focused on UNC and won’t entertain NFL offers.
It’s always possible an NFL team could make him an offer he can’t refuse but unless that happens, he’s staying in college. It doesn’t help that Belichick would have to pay a $10 million buyout to UNC if he leaves this year. That drops to $1 million should he wait until next year to go back to the NFL. If the Raiders wanted Belichick, it looks like it’s not going to happen.
Other Candidates Raiders Are Looking At
It’s still early in the process and the Raiders are likely to look at many head coaching candidates. For now, some of the first names they’re looking to interview are getting leaked. According to Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer, the Raiders have requested interviews with Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn and offensive coordinator Ben Johnson.
Those are going to be two of the hottest names on the market this offseason and it’s logical for the Raiders to interview them. It remains to be seen if there will be mutual interest but they are definitely candidates Las Vegas needs to talk to.
The Raiders are also going to speak to Kansas City Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, per Russini. He’s helped craft one of the best defenses in the NFL for years and is a big reason why the Chiefs have won three Super Bowls in recent years.
Any Early Front-Runners?
It’s too early to know what exactly the Raiders are looking for. They are likely to cast a wide net. Johnson is probably the most interesting candidate. He’s been a hot name for years but has been very picky about where he’s going to coach next.
The Raiders may not appeal to him as they don’t have a quarterback and aren’t in a position to draft one early. That said, the team might have a plan that Johnson likes. He has to be near the top of the Raiders’ list of coaches they’d like to land.
The team still hasn’t interviewed Mike Vrabel but he seems to be a logical candidate due to his connections to Brady. Glenn and Spagnuolo aren’t likely to be realistic candidates but perhaps they can win the Raiders over. Some of these candidates may start to get hired soon so the Raiders need to be quick about their decisions.
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