Legendary Patriots coach Bill Belichick got very limited interest from the seven other teams looking for head coaches in 2024. He’s apparently getting more interest from networks.
Andrew Marchand of TheAthletic.com takes a look at the pursuit of Belichick.
According to Marchand, Belichick has met with CBS and NBC. Also, Peyton Manning is trying to land Belichick at Omaha Productions.
One impediment is the perception that Belichick will stick around for only one year, as he tries to return to coaching. That didn’t keep Fox from hiring Sean Payton two years ago, however.
Belichick is nothing if not strategic, in every thing he does. His full-page ad in the Boston Globe was, we believe, strategically drafted and timed to commence the process of remaking his image and reputation into a coach for whom fans of other teams will clamor.
That should be the first factor he considers when picking a media job. How can I best leverage this platform? How can I get fans of other teams to make like Stanley Rothenstein during Bill’s favorite movie, jumping up and declaring, “I WANT HIM!”?
Will serving as a studio analyst do it? Will serving as a game analyst do it? Will appearing on a Manningcast-style presentation get fans to realize his in-game brilliance and want it for their favorite team?
The more important part of the audience will be the owners of the teams that might pursue him. Still, the owners will be (or at least should be) sensitive to how the paying customers will respond. Belichick should want paying customers to be clamoring for Belichick, not rolling their eyes at the prospect of hiring him.
That’s the real challenge for Belichick. This year is about next year. What he does this year could decide whether he’ll be back on a sideline next year.
