Bill Belichick tabbed as top candidate for underachieving NFL team
By Joe Lago
The more the NFL's bottom feeders lose, the more the speculation grows over the diminishing job security for the struggling teams' respective head coaches.
The seat that Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson occupies can't be comfortable.
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Expected to rebound from a 9-8 record in 2023, Pederson's Jaguars own the worst record in the NFL at 2-9. The regression of franchise quarterback Trevor Lawrence has been stunning, with the blame for Jacksonville's scoring struggles falling on the offensive-minded Pederson.
If the Jaguars move on from Pederson, a top candidate would be Bill Belichick. The Athletic's Dianna Russini reported Monday that the 72-year-old future Pro Football Hall of Famer wants "to be a head coach again." Jacksonville would be "a potential destination."
As we wait to find out what the Jaguars do next, keep in mind Bill Belichick wants to be a head coach again and the Jaguars should be viewed as a potential destination.
— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) November 18, 2024
I’m told it’s highly unlikely that a partnership with GM Trent Baalke would take place, per sources.
Russini added that it would be "highly unlikely" for Belichick to partner with general manager Trent Baalke. That bit of information conflicts with a report by Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio.
According to Florio, Belichick would be "a package deal" with Baalke, who was a New York Jets scout in the late 90s when Belichick was the assistant head coach under Bill Parcells.
Mike Florio reports on Football Night in America that Jaguars GM Trent Baalke could keep his job into next season... and be joined "as part of a package deal" in Jacksonville by Bill Belichick as the new head coach. #NFL pic.twitter.com/qTeYx5pa0O
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) November 18, 2024
Belichick's return to coaching would be a loss for NFL fans who've been enjoying his insightful opinions as an NFL analyst. The six-time Super Bowl champion has been surprisingly entertaining as a regular guest on "The Pat McAfee Show" and the ManningCast of "Monday Night Football."
When asked about coaching openings by McAfee, Belichick has threatened to revert to his curmudgeon coaching persona when he begrudgingly spoke to the media.
"I’m going to have to go back into my press conference mode and say, we’re just trying to focus on the next day," Belichick jokingly warned. "I'm just trying to focus on doing a good job on 'The Pat McAfee Show.'"
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