Will Bill Belichick return as an NFL head coach?

In the same week that Nick Saban retired from Alabama, Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots parted ways. It feels like many of us don’t know a world without Belichick and Saban leading their respective teams because they had such long and successful tenures, but the expression “all good things must come to an end” feels rather fitting here.

The question for Belichick is what happens now? Where does he go? Is this the end for the 72-year-old or does he have something left to prove with another team? DraftKings Sportsbook has odds on what Belichick’s next role will be and the favorite may surprise you.

 

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Who will Bill Belichick be the head coach for in Week 1?

  • Not the head coach of any NFL team +150
  • Atlanta Falcons +200
  • Field +600
  • Los Angeles Chargers +800
  • Washington Commanders +1000
  • Tennessee Titans +1000
  • Carolina Panthers +2000
  • New York Giants +2500
  • New Orleans Saints +3000
  • New York Jets +5000

Is it possible that Belichick will truly ride off into the sunset? That’s the favorite at +150, at least for the upcoming 2024 season. Surely it’s possible that Bill takes some time and picks it up in 2025, but this would seem like “retirement or bust” as a coach. That said, this option would also cash if Belichick was to join a front office or be an advisor, as he’s not the head coach, which is the important distinction here and with the wording of the bet itself.

For Belichick to join the Falcons, Desmond Ridder and Taylor Heinicke would not cut it. The Falcons would have to make some costly moves, either from a spending standpoint or to move up in the NFL Draft. Owner Arthur Blank has been around a long time and would likely love to work with Belichick. The weather is better and the games are in a dome. Is that a selling point for Belichick? Time will tell.

The Field at +600 does include Las Vegas, where Tom Brady is very much a part of the town. He’s a part owner of the Las Vegas Aces WNBA team and, more importantly, is a minority owner in the Raiders. Could that be enough to entice Belichick to the sideline for one last hurrah with the QB who is synonymous with the Patriots dynasty?

Honestly, the LA Chargers at +800 don’t strike me as an option. The ownership is notoriously cheap and is already paying fired head coaches. Unless Belichick is willing to take a discount for a shot at winning, I don’t see it. I also don’t see the Commanders or the Titans at +1000. While the Commanders have new ownership, that is a pretty big rebuilding job. The Titans may be going in that direction as well.

The Panthers do have the luxury of being in football’s worst division, but you have to wonder if Belichick sees in Bryce Young what owner David Tepper and the front office saw in Young.

The Saints at +3000 are actually a really interesting number here. Dennis Allen seems to have a great mind for defense, but does he have the chops to win anything as a head coach? I’m not sure Belichick would be enamored with the idea of Derek Carr, but of the teams listed above, the Saints, arguably, need the least amount of tweaking to compete and have a pretty stout defense already in place.

The Field at +600 and the Saints at +3000 would be most intriguing to me if I were to bet into this market.

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