Getty Image / Rich Barnes
The Washington Commanders were the final team to hire a head coach in the NFL when they hired Dan Quinn on Thursday. Currently, there are no head vacancies among NFL teams, meaning that coaching legend Bill Belichick is likely without a job heading into next season.
It’s pretty hard to imagine that none of the seven other teams besides the Patriots wanted to hire the six-time Super Bowl champion, but that’s exactly what has appeared to have happened.
The Atlanta Falcons appeared to come the closest to hiring Belichick, and met with the coach a few times for interviews. One of those was reportedly on owner Arthur Blank’s yacht. Ultimately, they decided to go with Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris.
But, the Washington Commanders were also connected to arguably the GOAT NFL head coach, despite some pushback when rumors first started to leak out during the season.
According to Diana Russini of The Athletic, Bill Belichick was indeed considered for the job, and even had some some support among team decision-makers.
During the hiring process in Washington, Bill Belichick was considered for the job, per sources. The Commanders spoke with him and he had support from some decision makers. In the end, Dan Quinn is their choice.
— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) February 1, 2024
Frankly, I can’t believe no one hired him, especially a team like the Commanders that need a huge culture shift. Yes, things did not go well in New England after Tom Brady left, with just one playoff appearance in four years. A lot of that was due to Belichick’s personnel decisions, as he also served as the team’s de facto general manager.
But, as a head coach and a culture changer, there is no way that there are seven guys available that are more equipped to be an NFL head coach than Bill Belichick.
It’s likely that Bill Belichick will sit out this season and be a top target for vacancies next year. In the meantime, the teams who had vacancies this cycle better hope their coaches pan out. If not, they could look stupid for not hiring the coach with more Lombardi Trophies than any other.