Report: Bill Belichick 'Kind of Shocked' by Lack of NFL HC Opportunities amid Rumors

Former New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick was expected to be a hot commodity after he departed the franchise after his legendary 24-year run this offseason, but that turned out not to be the case.

According to ESPN's Don Van Natta Jr., Seth Wickersham and Jeremy Fowler, the lack of interest from other teams with head-coach openings left Belichick "kind of shocked."

There were eight head coaching vacancies this offseason, but each team decided to pass on the chance to hire the future Hall of Famer. Many considered Belichick to be a solid fit with multiple teams, but the only franchise he was known to interview with was the Atlanta Falcons.

According to the report, multiple sources said Belichick "felt he was the favorite" for the Falcons position, "in part because of how his meetings went with" team owner Arthur Blank. However, Blank chose to offer the job to former Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris, the same day that Belichick was "told that morning that the job was his to lose."

The report stated that multiple factors played into the Falcons going in a different direction, but in particular, "the fact that his top lieutenants pushed against Belichick swayed" Blank in his decision-making. A source also said, "If Bill were 63 ... this might have been different."

The lack of opportunities changed the offseason outlook for Belichick, who turned 72 on Tuesday. He reportedly "was interviewing agents to help him find a TV gig" within a week of falling short of the Atlanta position.

It's still unclear whether Belichick will transition to a broadcasting role for the 2024 season, but it can be expected that he will be eager to pursue future head coach openings during the 2025 hiring cycle.