It’s no secret in the NFL that the Philadelphia Eagles at least considered continuing Longtime New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick once he became available this offseason. But it turns out the Eagles avoided Belichick for the same reasons as the once-interested Atlanta Falcons: They were concerned about uprooting their entire organization in favor of a man with a domineering leadership style, according to ESPN.
The Boston Sports Journal reported earlier this year that the Eagles were “very interested” in the former Super Bowl-winning coach after a late 2023 slump, and ESPN reiterated that idea on Wednesday, reporting that the team’s owner, Jeffrey Lurie, had spoken with a confidant about the possibility. to replace Nick Sirianni with Belichick. While “some owners and executives (thought) the game was past Belichick, the Eagles felt he still had his fastball,” according to ESPN, with general manager Howie Roseman also a fan.
Ultimately, Lurie and Co. retained Sirianni and publicly endorsed both his resume and future prospects atop the Eagles team, citing his combined 26-5 record from 2021-23. But it was the idea of Belichick — already 71 at the time — demanding a deeper overhaul of personnel and leadership approach that seemed to make the decision easier.
Although he wasn’t seriously considering moving, Lurie asked a confidant: Was it worth renovating the building, changing staff and philosophies on everything from staff training to structure? of the salary cap, for someone who could only coach two years?
“You’ll have to start over,” said a source with direct knowledge of the Eagles’ thinking. “Who would replace him? He didn’t have a good track record in developing coaches. They were afraid he had changed everything and every person, and [then] you will start from scratch. He didn’t demand these changes, but they felt like if we hired him, we had to give him everything and trust him in the way he does it. »
Belichick, for what it’s worth, “would have been interested” in the Eagles job if it had been officially open, according to ESPN. And it turns out he still had them circling for a potential vacancy down the road. While some close to the longtime coach believe he has seen his final days on the sidelines after a quieter-than-expected 2024 market, ESPN reported that Belichick will “bid his time until next January for openings in the teams he told his confidants he would be interested in.” in coaching.”
These teams: the Eagles, the Dallas Cowboys and the New York Giants.
Dallas retained Mike McCarthy after its own abrupt end to the 2023 season, but owner Jerry Jones is an admitted Belichick fan, even telling reporters this offseason “there is no doubt” he could work alongside the future Hall of Fame coach. The Giants employ Brian Daboll, but he is coming off a 6-11 season; Belichick has a remarkable history with the franchise, having spent 11 years in New York before his first head coaching position in 1991.
