Dianna Russini: Bill Belichick’s media career seen as a ‘PR makeover’

In a rather bizarre turn of events, former New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick, who’s relationship with the media has been strained at best throughout much of the NFL coaching career, will be joining the cast of the alternate Manningcast for the upcoming 2024-25 season.

Reports have already emerged hinting that Belichick still intends on coaching in the 2025-26 NFL season. But that doesn’t mean that this upcoming season won’t be an important one for the eight-time Super Bowl winner, according to Dianna Russini of The Athletic.

Russini made an appearance on The Herd with Colin Cowherd on Thursday to discuss how those inside the NFL view Belichick’s new media role, detailing that many around the NFL view this new venture as a “PR makeover” for him.

“Colin, have you ever talked to a coach after he was fired? I don’t care if you are a Hall of Fame coach or you have just a one-year stint. They are physically and mentally spent. They are a shell of themselves. I know so many coaches, who after about two weeks after they get fired, get horrendously sick. Like in bed, can’t move. It’s almost like the weight of everything just hits them like a ton of bricks…Bill taking a year off, who knows what it can do for him in terms of his own personal growth at his age?

“He seems to be open to it. Now the guy who hates the media is getting in front of it. Around the league though, the conversations — there is definitely some chit-chat: ‘Look at Belichick playing the media darling role. Going through a public relations makeover.’ A facelift, so to speak to connect with those owners to show, ‘Look, I connect with those young people, I can be cool. I’m not just the old ball coach. I’m able to adapt.'”

“Now the guy [Belichick] that hates the media is getting in front of it.”

— @DMRussini joins @ColinCowherd pic.twitter.com/F2XDIa1VG9

— Herd w/Colin Cowherd (@TheHerd) August 1, 2024

Russini then went on to compare Belichick’s approach to this coming season as a new media member to the likes of Mike Vrabel and Pete Carroll, two coaches who are similarly looking to return to head coaching.

“It’s interesting to watch because we haven’t seen much of Pete Carroll anywhere,” added Russini. “We know he still wants to coach (but) don’t know where he will wind up. And all over social media we’re seeing Mike Vrabel with the Cleveland Browns where he is a consultant right now, out on the field doing old-school hands-on coaching…Doing what he probably needs to do for his own mental health which is coach football. So I just find it really interesting to watch the different, let’s just call them PR moves here from both these coaches who I think will both have jobs next year.”

Only time will tell whether Belichick’s attempt to reconfigure his image around the NFL will work out. But it sure seems like if all goes to plan, his time as a media member will be a short one.

[The Herd with Colin Cowherd on X]