Bill Belichick’s search for a new job during the offseason ended in a disappointing manner last week. For reasons unknown, several general managers in a highly competitive industry chose to hire young, unproven coaches they had previous relationships with instead of the eight-time Super Bowl champion.
The president of football operations for the Panthers, Dan Morgan, decided to hire Tampa Bay’s offensive coordinator, Dave Canales, whom he was familiar with from their time together on the Seahawks. Morgan had worked his way up through the ranks of the Seahawks until 2017, while Canales had followed Pete Carroll from USC to Seattle. Canales held various positions on the offensive side before accepting a promotion from the Buccaneers.
Jim Harbaugh didn’t so much interview with the Chargers as he did express his interest and speak highly of Dean and John Spanos, as well as his time as a Charger player for two seasons.
Meanwhile, Atlanta chose to hire former Falcons defensive coordinator Raheem Morris, who was promoted to interim head coach in 2020 after Dan Quinn was fired midseason.
The decision to hire Morris over Belichick may seem foolish on the surface. The Falcons have a strong foundation but need a quarterback to connect their roster’s various components and the minds behind the team’s personnel decisions. Belichick, at the very least, would guarantee a top-5 defense, even though his ability to evaluate offensive talent has been questionable in recent years. He proved his defensive prowess in Cleveland, despite the team’s overall underwhelming record, before being let go due to tensions with owner Art Modell. He then went on to command formidable defenses with New England for 25 years. All the Falcons would have needed was a solution to their quarterback problem.
However, building relationships has never been Belichick’s strong suit. As I sat down to watch the final season premiere of Curb Your Enthusiasm on Sunday night, I couldn’t help but see a resemblance between the fictionalized Larry David and Belichick. Belichick is to curmudgeonly coaches what Larry is to curmudgeonly comic writers. In their respective professions and the characters they portray, both individuals embody a love-hate relationship. When Curb premiered 25 years ago, Belichick was in his first season as the head coach of the Patriots.
Both Belichick and Larry played pivotal roles in supporting New York tri-state legends Bill Parcells and Seinfeld during the 1980s and 1990s. With both men in their seventies, it becomes difficult to distinguish where the socially awkward Hoodie/Larry character ends and the “Larry David” persona begins. Those close to Belichick have shared stories of his affable nature in private, but he also possesses some of the worst people skills we’ve ever seen in a renowned coach.
This is part of what made his unintentional comedy so effective. Belichick’s refusal to acknowledge high-fiving children has become legendary in the digital world. However, his awkward and misanthropic personality has always made it challenging for him to maintain relationships. Let’s not forget that Belichick resigned from the Jets coaching job during his introductory press conference and left the auditorium, leaving the Jets brass to pick up the pieces.
His tenure in Cleveland also came to an abrupt end due to his deteriorating relationship with Modell. Belichick and Modell had such contempt for each other that Belichick allegedly selected Peter Boulware for the 1998 Pro Bowl just so Modell would owe him a $1 million bonus. In Cleveland and during his post-Brady years in New England, Belichick faced the challenge of a revolving door at quarterback after parting ways with the beloved but diminished Bernie Kosar. While many coaches have made enemies of veterans they’ve cut or chosen not to re-sign for football reasons, Belichick elevated it to an art form during his nearly three decades in New England.
Belichick even has his own versions of Leon and Jeff scaring off potential suitors. If Belichick is Larry David, then Pete Carroll is Ted Danson, and it shows in their respective coaching trees. The buzz surrounding Belichick’s prospects this time around focused on his likely assistants, namely Josh McDaniels and Matt Patricia. McDaniels has lost his shine after two failed coaching stints, while Patricia’s luck ran out once he left Belichick’s side. McDaniels learned how to burn bridges from Belichick himself. Belichick’s heir apparent backed out of the head coaching position with the Indianapolis Colts, and the Vegas Raiders were visibly relieved when Antonio Pierce took over as interim coach. Patricia endured a disastrous stint as a defensive coordinator, reminiscent of Juan Castillo’s much-maligned wide-nine scheme in Philadelphia a decade earlier.
During the interview process, Belichick allegedly had access to Falcons owner Arthur Blank, but his history with McKay overshadowed the entire process, much like a storyline in Curb. Belichick reluctantly interviewed with Blank for the Falcons coaching job, while McKay privately criticized him, earning the nickname “Blank’s Wormtongue” in league circles. This created a cerebral situational comedy during the offseason.
As chairman of the rules committee, McKay often had to rein in Belichick’s manipulation of the league’s bylaws, such as the Ty Law Rule and the rule changes following DeflateGate and Belichick’s use of ineligible receivers during the 2015 season. While these may be in the past, any existing animosity would only be intensified if McKay vetoed Belichick’s personnel opinions.
There were also reports suggesting that Belichick would only accept the job if McKay was excluded from football decisions. Boomer Esiason claimed that sources informed him that Belichick was offered the Falcons job but turned it down. While unusual, this would align with Belichick’s modus operandi. Given his history, it wouldn’t be surprising if Belichick opted out of an organization more focused on the personal relationship between McKay and Blank than winning. However, Esiason has always been a supporter of Belichick, and it doesn’t seem wise for Belichick, at 71 years old, pursuing Don Shula’s career wins record, to interview twice and turn down a job without any backup options this offseason.
Reportedly, Morris and general manager Terry Fontenot will report directly to Blank, so it’s hard to believe that Belichick wouldn’t have had the same arrangement in place unless he wanted to continue shopping for his own players without involving Fontenot. Ultimately, we may never know the truth unless Blank decides to reveal it. Wherever Belichick ends up next season, he will need to join an organization that can handle the non-football related baggage that comes with him.
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