New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick moving on after the season looks inevitable, and one potential destination gained major steam of late.
CBS Sports’ Tyler Sullivan floated the Los Angeles Chargers as a possible landing spot for Belichick on Wednesday. The Chargers only added to the speculation amid the firing of head coach Brandon Staley and general manager Tom Telesco on Friday, December 15.
Those firings came about shortly after the Las Vegas Raiders embarrassed the Chargers 63-21 on “Thursday Night Football”. Los Angeles (5-9), which will miss the playoffs for the fourth time in five years, now has a coaching and a general manager vacancy — both hats that Belichick wears in New England.
Chargers could be a top landing spot for Belichick next season following Staley & Telesco firing
Phil Perry weighs in on Bill Belichick to Chargers, and reacts to comments from Gary Myers about Bill’s preference to not rebuild a front office 🗣️
As Sullivan pointed out, “The Chargers have routinely been a team that oozes talent on both sides of the ball”, which could lure Belichick west. The Chargers also have a Pro Bowl-caliber quarterback in Justin Herbert, who recently went down with a season-ending index finger injury.
“Herbert is one of the most talented quarterbacks in the NFL when healthy, and if Belichick aligns himself with the former first-round pick and builds a winning culture around him, the sky is the limit for Los Angeles,” Sullivan wrote.
Patriots Could Trade Bill Belichick to the Chargers
Amid NBC Sports Patriots insider Tom E. Curran’s report of Belichick’s set departure, New England could trade Belichick to the Chargers. Insiders and analysts lined up with proposals on Friday.
FOX Sports AFC East reporter Henry McKenna could see it happening soon. Speculation of the Patriots trading Belichick percolated throughout this season’s struggles because of his past success and owner Robert Kraft’s chance to get something in exchange for the six-time Super Bowl-winning head coach.
I’m willing to bet the Commanders and Chargers would get into a bidding war for Bill Belichick.
1st round draft pick return. Minimum.
“Is there any scenario where Robert Kraft gets on the phone with Dean Spanos to see if the Chargers have trade interest for Bill Belichick? The Patriots can see what Jerod Mayo does as interim head coach,” McKenna wrote. “The Chargers could get Belichick in the building to bring some stability.”
Savage Sports proposed that the Patriots trade Belichick in exchange for the Chargers’ 2024 first-round pick. The Chargers looked poised to have a top-1o pick, which will only help New England’s rebuild.
Bill Belichick Onto the AFC West for Now
Belichick has the AFC West on his mind this week but not in the way the media is trying to paint of late. The Patriots have the Kansas City Chiefs coming to town for a Week 15 game, and Belichick deflected questions about his future in reference to that contest
“I’m getting ready for Kansas City,” Belichick told reporters on Wednesday.
He doubled down on that when a reporter asked him again.
“Getting ready for Kansas City … That’s what I’m doing,” Belichick said.
If the Patriots get ready well enough to win against the Chiefs, it could hurt New England’s draft position next year. New England sits at the No. 2 draft spot, which provides an opportunity to land a top quarterback such as Caleb Williams or Drake Maye.
The Patriots won the last time out against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 14, and the Chiefs have lost two straight games and four of the past six.
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Bill Belichick Coaching Rumor Gains Steam Amid Chargers Firings