For the first time since 1974, an NFL season will kick off without Bill Belichick on the sidelines. So, what exactly will next season look like for the 71-year-old? Retirement? A break? Or the beginning of a new career, like one in broadcasting?
It appears the latter is the answer, as revealed by former New England Patriots assistant and the oldest of Bill’s two sons, Steve Belichick, in a recent interview on “The Green Light with Chris Long” podcast. “I think he’s good,” Steve said about his father’s departure from the Patriots. “OK, after leaving the Patriots. Let the stuff roll off your back and move forward.
He doesn’t dwell unless we lost the game and need to get on some guys, but eventually you’ve got to turn the page. Honestly, I wasn’t too involved in any of that stuff. He did his thing, I did my thing, and that was kind of that. “He’s definitely pursuing some other stuff whether it’s TV or a regular on ‘Green Light’ or whatever it may be.”
It wouldn’t be an irregular path for a former coach like Belichick. He’d join many of his former players in the broadcasting industry, as Julian Edelman, Rob Gronkowski, Devin McCourty, and now Tom Brady have found a career on the other side of the camera. However, it is worth noting that getting into broadcasting doesn’t necessarily mean the end for the future first-ballot Pro Football Hall of Fame coach.
This is seemingly the backup option for Belichick. Although he has already cemented his legacy as a Hall of Famer in his 24-year tenure in Foxboro, Belichick made it seemingly clear that he wasn’t ready to retire. Instead, he was a serious candidate to replace Arthur Smith as the Atlanta Falcons coach. Related: Patriots Salary Cap Moves: 3 Players Signing? Despite interviewing twice for the role with the Falcons and being seen as the favorite to land the job, Atlanta went in another direction.
That was hiring former Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris, effectively ending Belichick’s chances of being a coach in the NFL this coming season. Yet, even while coaching isn’t on the cards for the immediate cards for Belichick, he could stay around the game by transitioning to broadcasting.