Bill Belichick’s future with the Patriots has been an increasingly frequent talking point this season. As losses pile up and New England sits with a 2-7 record, fans and pundits have begun to consider the previously unthinkable—a potential divorce between the franchise and the six-time Super Bowl-champion coach.
A recent report from The Boston Globe’s Ben Volin poured gas on that fire. After citing the need for a “miracle turnaround” for this season to not be Belichick’s final one with the Patriots, Volin stated that he doesn’t think it’s “100% that Belichick finishes out the [current] season.”
If either scenario plays out, the future Hall of Fame coach likely would be one of the most coveted names on the market.
Here are five potential suitors if Belichick were to become available:
Chicago Bears
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The Bears are in year two with Matt Eberflus at the helm, and no matter how you spin it, a 5-21 record through your first 26 games is tough to swallow.
Chicago has dealt with injuries and inconsistent play at key positions, but it falls back on the head coach to make adjustments and changes. Barring a strong push over the second half of the season, the Bears (2-7) will miss the playoffs for the third consecutive season. That very well could lead to a coaching change at Halas Hall.
Las Vegas Raiders
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Antonio Pierce is off to a great start, having guided the Raiders to a 30-6 win over the Giants in his first game as interim head coach Sunday. With former coach Josh McDaniels still on the books for a tidy amount, owner Mark Davis is likely to give Pierce a legitimate chance to win the job on a full-time basis.
But if the rest of the season doesn’t pan out for the Raiders (4-5), Davis could make a play for Belichick the same way he’s pursuing Tom Brady as a minority owner.
Los Angeles Chargers
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The results in 2 1/2 seasons at the helm for the Chargers have been mixed for Brandon Staley. The 41-year-old holds a 23-19 record to date. But based on sheer talent, there’s arguably no team on this list that’s underperformed more. The team’s disappointing wild-card playoff loss to the Jaguars still looms.
The Chargers blew a 27-7 halftime lead in that game, and Staley might need a playoff victory this season to stick in his current role. If the front office were to part ways with Staley, the idea of pairing Belichick with quarterback Justin Herbert might be too good to skip.
Washington Commanders
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The Commanders simply can’t to get over the hump. Head coach Ron Rivera has led the team to seven wins twice (2020 and ’21) and a .500 record in 2022. But through nine games this season, he’s 4-5 and trending once again toward mediocrity.
The biggest factor here is the new ownership group in Washington. It’s a complete unknown as to how it feels about Rivera or whether he’s in the future plans. But considering the names in the group that bought the team, headlined by 76ers and Devils owner Josh Harris, the idea of bringing in Belichick for a fresh start in ’24 might be appealing.
New York Giants
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Belichick’s history with the Giants is well documented, as he was an assistant coach there from 1979 through ’90, winning two Super Bowls along the way, prior to his first head coaching job with the Browns.
Current Giants coach Brian Daboll enjoyed an impressive first season, posting a 9-7-1 record and winning a wild-card playoff game. But amid the team’s 2-7 start this season, safety Xavier McKinney made a noteworthy comment that appeared to point the finger at the coaching staff, per ESPN’s Jordan Raanan.
“I think that from a leadership standpoint, I don’t think they’ve done a great job of letting the leaders lead and listening to the leaders and the captains,” said McKinney.
