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It’s the end of an era.
After a 24-year run of unprecedented success, the New England Patriots and Bill Belichick are parting ways. Belichick won six Super Bowls as the Patriots’ head coach, but owner Robert Kraft now must plot a new course for the organization that has struggled to maintain its level of excellence since quarterback Tom Brady‘s departure after the 2019 season.
Following the worst season of his career, which saw the Patriots allow 30 or more points three times this season en-route to a 4-13 finish, Belichick now has the opportunity to try to become the first head coach to win Super Bowls with multiple teams.
The team hiring Belichick will need to believe that the 71-year-old is capable of reaching the highest levels of success without Brady. That’s because since Brady’s departure to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Belichick is just 29-38 and has overseen the Patriots’ roster fall woefully behind the rest of the explosive AFC East.
Here’s a look at three likely next destinations for Belichick:
Washington Commanders
Expect Belichick to be the first call of Joshua Harris, the new owner of the Washington Commanders.
Harris leads a new ownership group intent on turning around the woebegone fortunes of what was once one of the NFL’s proudest heritage franchises, and Washington has the resources to make a rapid turnaround.
The Commanders enter this offseason with significant questions at quarterback, but the luxury to fill that need with a top-five pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, along with a league-high $78.8 million to build around their next franchise quarterback. What the Commanders might need most of all, is a program-builder as a head coach. Belichick fits that bill, and Washington has the resources to outbid any of his possible suitors.
Los Angeles Chargers
The Chargers, thanks to franchise quarterback Justin Herbert, are going to be the most sought after vacancy among prospective coaches this offseason.
Belichick, because of his track record of success with the Patriots, makes some sense for the Chargers, who have young talent on defense but still need to build that unit out to the point it can be a complement to Herbert and the offense. The question for the Chargers might become whether pairing Herbert with another defensive-minded head coach, even if it is Belichick, offers more upside than hiring an up-and-coming offensive coordinator to maximize Herbert’s potential.
New York Giants
The Giants are an obvious dark horse here.
In all likelihood, head coach Brian Daboll is safe, despite a season that saw a significant regression on both sides of the football. It may prove difficult for owner John Mara and general manager Joe Schoen to pin the blame for 2023’s disappointment on Daboll, especially because quarterback Daniel Jones suffered a torn ACL that ultimately ended an injury-riddled campaign.
However, Mara has long had an affinity for Belichick, and that feeling seems to be mutual given that the former Patriots head coach gave a rousing endorsement for Joe Judge, prior to his hiring as Giants head coach in 2020. Might Mara change course, with Belichick being available for the first time in over two decades? This situation could be worth monitoring.
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