Bill Belichick may have built his own media empire, including an Instagram account, but he remains a coach at heart.
Those who know Belichick best say that despite his burgeoning media resume, the six-time Super Bowl-winning head coach still wants to return to coaching in 2025, but only in the right situation for a good job.
Belichick is expected to be cautious about any return to the sidelines, according to sources.
Belichick had multiple opportunities to join various staffs as defensive coordinator or some sort of prestigious assistant last offseason, and according to league sources, not only did the San Francisco 49ers consider Belichick for their vacant defensive coordinator position, but so did the Los Angeles Rams, as head coach Kyle Shanahan confirmed this summer.
The Rams had a defensive coordinator position open after Raheem Morris left the team to become head coach of the Atlanta Falcons, and Belichick was one of the names on Los Angeles’ wish list, but he chose to spend his time and career elsewhere this season.
Now, for the first time in nearly a quarter century, Belichick won’t be on the Patriots’ sideline when New England opens its season on Sunday in Cincinnati against the Bengals. The last time the Patriots weren’t coached by Belichick was when current head coach Jerrod Mayo was 13.
Instead, Belichick will be preparing to present Monday night’s “Manningcast,” which he will appear on in addition to other media projects. Belichick also serves as a strategic advisor to 33rd Team, a media and technology company that provides football analytics, and appears weekly on “The Pat McAfee Show.” He also produces a show with Peyton Manning each Friday analyzing Monday Night Football matchups and serves as an analyst on “Inside the NFL.” He will also have his own football show on YouTube TV.
Belichick isn’t expected to take part in the thread, as he did on Instagram last week, according to sources, but after seemingly enjoying little interaction with the media, he has now become a key media figure.
But that may not last long, as Belichick hopes to return to a proper head coaching position in 2025 if the right opportunity arises. Working on media projects like these will allow Belichick to keep a close eye on the league, keep track of players and be ready to coach again when the right call comes.
Belichick and the Patriots part ways after the 2023 season, ending a 24-year tenure in which he led New England to six Super Bowl victories. His 296 wins (including playoffs) with the Patriots are the second-most wins with a single franchise in NFL history behind George Halas (324 with the Chicago Bears). His 333 wins (including playoffs) as a coach are second all-time behind Don Shula (347).
Belichick was nominated for a Sports Emmy Award for Outstanding Studio Analyst for his work on the 2019 NFL Films series “NFL 100 All-Time Team,” which aired on NFL Network.
