Bill Belichick is still under contract to be the Patriots’ coach, reportedly through next season. Yet there is a considerable amount of rumor and speculation regarding the eight-time Super Bowl winner moving on to a new challenge with another NFL team.
An unexpected team could be among those suitors, according to a reporter who has covered the Patriots for the past 10 seasons. The Boston Globe’s Ben Volin writes that the Panthers should be viewed as a serious contender for Belichick’s services. According to Volin, that assertion isn’t an opinion but is based on talking to NFL sources familiar with Belichick and the league’s coaching market.
Belichick has been connected to the Commanders and Chargers in recent rumors, and Volin mentions the Falcons as another team that could pursue the coach. However, Carolina could be a desirable fit because of Charlotte’s smaller, less demanding media market. Belichick also wouldn’t face the same pressure to make the playoffs that he might in Washington, D.C., or Los Angeles.
