Now What?

The lines have been drawn. It does not appear that Bill will be going quietly. We will not have Robert Kraft’s elegant solution. Belichick gave is weekly interview with WEEI and basically said “I’m under contract, you can eat my ass or you can fire me. Either way, fuck you pay me.”

I don’t see how Belichick is back outside of a massive pussy foot move from the Krafts. So where does Bill land and who takes his place?

Bill’s Landing Spot

The suitors for Bill are starting to line up. The Commanders new owner, Josh Harris has a brand new football team, a truck load of money, and a massive hard on for Belichick. The Chargers have been the rumored spot since the worst coach in the league, Brandon Staley, just refused to punt or kick field goals. Failing to make the playoffs with one of the most talented rosters in the NFL will generally result in an early exit. The ready made roster has had the talking heads speculating hard on Billy Man-boobs getting his tan on in Southern California. The Atlanta Falcons have come on strong as a surprise candidate. That makes sense because Atlanta is the purgatory of sports cities. Fun fact the Atlanta Hawks a couple weeks again were exactly 600-600 through 1,200 games. Atlanta is a slow mediocre death for a coach. Dallas remains a possibility if McCarthy predictably chokes again in the Wild Card or maybe even the Divisional round. Belichick may be too much for that whore loving Jerry Jones to pass up. Belichick’s end here in New England has been gross, but he still carries buzz and possibly could be the juice a team needs. Whether that be getting over the hump in the playoffs or sparking a new era in a place like Chicago? Could the Jags be dumb enough to move on from Peterson after a disappointing nose dive this year? Six time Super Bowl winning head coaches don’t come around all that often. The list for Bill seems to be bigger than originally anticipated.

Bill’s replacement

Jerod Mayo has been the front runner for this position ever since he declined to interview for the Carolina Panthers prior to last season. Kraft let slip that Mayo could make a good heir apparent. However, those plans seem to have been laid out with the idea of Belichick sticking around in New England for a couple more season to break Don Shula’s win record and gracefully hand off the reins has he sails of to Nantucket. A 4-13 season, dysfunctional coaching staff, and severely depleted roster was not in the plan. Because of the nature in which these past two seasons have played out, Mayo simply can’t be a shoe in. It may be the case that he is not a candidate at all any more. So who is?

Mike Vrabel. As I write this Vrabel has been fired by the Tennessee Titans. Robert Kraft is on record saying Mike Vrabel and Nick Cesario would be his dream hires to replace Bill Belichick. There were rumors earlier this season about a reunion with Caserio, but those have since been shot down after CJ Stroud’s incredible rookie season and an unexpected play off birth for the Houston Texans. Vrabel though? Free game. Vrabel took the Titans to the playoffs 3 of the 6 seasons as head coach with Ryan freaking Tannehill as the quarterback. I like Vrabel. He’s a football guy. He has experience in college and the pros. He’s a guy players play hard for. He is familiar with the Patriots. He feels like the right personality and fit to steady the ship here.

Josh McDaniels was spotted in the building for the week 18 Jets game. I put 0.0% chance of McDaniels even being considered for the HC job, but as a special assistant? Sorry, FREE special offensive assistant as the Raiders pay out his salary over the next several years? Sure. McDaniel’s family is in New England, he likes the area, him and the Krafts have some weird connection, he knows where the bodies are buried. Say what you want about McDaniels as a HC, but there seems to be something in that dirty Boston water. He even got Mac Jones and Cam Newton to look half decent.

Some skinny jeaned un-named offensive assistant. If you listen to my cohort on the podcast, Chief Bobby, this is where him and a lot of the pea brains want to pivot to. And if you agree with him, you too are a fool. Here’s why. These guys just don’t work. The hot flash in the pan. Something sexy. Please see Arthur Smith, Josh McDaniels, Nathaniel Hackett, Freddie Kitchens, Chip Kelly, Frank Riech, the list can go on. Anytime you hire an unproven commodity in hopes of getting the same vibe, approach, results from where they came from it’s a mistake. The entire Belichick coaching tree can be used as an example.

You can give me Kyle Shanahan, Sean McVay, and Mike McDaniel as outliers and I’d tell you Shanahan spent his entire life, literally, on a side line before getting a head coaching job. He had to blow a 28-3 Super Bowl as an OC to understand the full scope of the job. Mike McDaniel just pissed away another Division title because he’s propped up behind a billion dollars of talent and a billion draft picks traded. That tool has a shelf life as a head coach. Sean McVay is a unicorn and you’d be lucky to have him. So, sure. Go pick out the unicorn. OR, hire Mike Vrabel. A proven commodity who has to follow up Bill Belichick. Do you want another soft doughboy following in the shadow of all time greatness like Mac Jones failed to do post Brady? No. You want a guy in Vrabel who once Motherfucked that all time great (Belichick) after he did him dirty and traded him to Kansas City. Give me Vrabes.


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Bill owns Kraft