As the NFL’s annual coaching carousel nears its completion, it appears that Bill Belichick will be left without a seat.
And while that might come as a surprise to many, it doesn’t to ESPN’s Ryan Clark.
During Friday’s episode of Get Up, the show’s panel discussed the Atlanta Falcons’ decision to hire Raheem Morris and not Belichick, who had previously interviewed for the position. And after Mike Tannenbaum predicted that Belichick not landing a job will leave many current head coaches looking over their shoulder next season, Clark insisted that the NFL’s opinion of the six-time Super Bowl champion head coach isn’t as high as the media’s is.
“Because we’re stupid — that’s why. And we were stupid when Bill Belichick agreed to ‘mutually part ways’ from New England. Because we feed those stories, not the true people who are making the decisions,” Clark said. “Legacy is our thing. The resume is our thing… and so when you look at Bill Belichick, we were looking at all those things. Because you are the greatest coach of all-time does not mean you’re the best coach right now.”
Ryan Clark on how the media got it wrong regarding Bill Belichick's job prospects: "We were stupid when Bill Belichick agreed to 'mutually part ways' from New England. Because we feed those stories. Not the true people who are making the decisions." pic.twitter.com/3SaeHyqXeJ
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) January 26, 2024
Clark expounded on the differences between the media’s perception of Belichick and the NFL’s while discussing the same topic on First Take.
“Everybody was like, ‘Oh you’re going to fire playoff coaches. Bill Belichick is going to cast this big shadow.’ And I said, ‘Ain’t nobody gonna be kicking their spouse out of bed because Bill Belichick in these streets. ‘I told y’all the streets was not going to be hot for Bill Belichick.”
As for why Belichick isn’t as coveted as a coaching free agent as many figured he would be, Clark pointed to his track record without Tom Brady, the lack of success his assistant coaches have had elsewhere and a shift in coaching styles across the league. Asked if the discrepancy means that Belichick merely isn’t as good as the media thinks he is, the 2011 Pro Bowl selection said that’s not necessarily the case.
“You don’t win if you’re not that good,” Clark said. “He was as good as we all thought he was when he was as good as we all thought he was. That ain’t today. Because you’re the greatest of all-time doesn’t mean that you’re the best fit today.”
More Ryan Clark on Bill Belichick: "Ain't nobody gonna be kicking their spouse out of bed because Bill Belichick in these streets. I told y'all the streets was not going to be hot for Bill Belichick… He was as good as we all thought he was when he was as good as we all thought… https://t.co/KgMiko82aT pic.twitter.com/bIZSDNRFFG
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) January 26, 2024
To Clark’s point, Belichick’s coaching prospects look nothing like what many figured they would be when he left New England. At this point, the 3-time Coach of the Year has only interviewed with one team for a job he ultimately didn’t get, with only the Seattle Seahawks and Washington Commanders’ vacancies remaining.
While Clark raises valid points about Belichick now being years removed from his most recent successes, it’s also worth wondering whether money and/or roster control have been factors in his free agency. Either way, it would be tough to dispute Clark’s larger point, that Belichick simply isn’t in as high of demand across the NFL as most of the football media figured he would be.
About Ben Axelrod
Ben Axelrod is a veteran of the sports media landscape, having most recently worked for NBC's Cleveland affiliate, WKYC. Prior to his time in Cleveland, he covered Ohio State football and the Big Ten for outlets including Cox Media Group, Bleacher Report, Scout and Rivals.