New Report Clarifies Eagles' Interest in Hiring Bill Belichick
Recent reports suggest that the Philadelphia Eagles were interested in hiring legendary NFL head coach Bill Belichick this offseason. But how legitimate are those rumors?
Philadelphia Eagles fans woke up on Wednesday to an ESPN report indicating that six-time Super Bowl-winning head coach Bill Belichick is interested in coaching for the franchise. With current HC Nick Sirianni on the hot seat following a disappointing 2023 performance, it isn't shocking that the greatest coach of all time views the Eagles as a potential next destination.
Why was Bill Belichick shut out of the hiring cycle? Latest from me, @DVNJr and @JFowlerESPN
— Seth Wickersham (@SethWickersham) April 17, 2024
*No Falcons exec had him in their top three
*Sources say Kraft raised issues to Blank about trustworthiness
Inside a strange few days in January: https://t.co/BMVyfH9cw9
But how serious is Belichick's interest in coaching for the Eagles? And is that interest mutual? After all, the NFL offseason is consistently filled with rumors that never come close to fruition, leaving Philadelphia fans to wonder if this report is one of them.
While it turns out that there is some truth to ESPN's report, it isn't as straightforward as some believe.
Eagles Rumors: Bill Belichick Wasn't Seriously Considered
According to the ESPN report, Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie and general manager Howie Roseman are both big Belichick fans, but neither considered hiring the legendary bench boss. Lurie asked a "confidant" about the 72-year-old and that sources indicated that Belichick would be interested in coaching Philadelphia, however, the team is still more than happy with the current situation.
"Owner Jeffrey Lurie and general manager Howie Roseman, both Belichick fans, still strongly believed in their current head coach, Nick Sirianni."
- ESPN on April 17, 2024
Interestingly enough, Roseman did admit to ESPN that he spoke to Belichick this offseason but it didn't have anything to do with a job offer. The Eagles GM had called Belichick to see how he was feeling after his 24-season run with the New England Patriots ended this offseason. Sources even confirmed that coaching in Philadelphia was never a topic on the call.
But even if Lurie and Roseman love Belichick, it seems as if the duo might hesitate to hire him if Sirianni's job ever opens. According to "a source with firsthand knowledge of the Eagles," the owner-GM duo is concerned that they'd have to essentially start from the bottom due to Belichick's reputation of needing to have everything done his way.
After all, one reason why Belichick's time in New England ended had a lot to do with his poor personnel hiring decisions
"[Belichick] hasn't had a good record of developing coaches. [The Eagles] were afraid that he'll have changed everything and every person, and [then] you'll be starting from scratch again."
- ESPN on April 17, 2024
Regardless of whether Belichick is a future candidate or not, one thing is for sure: Sirianni is likely on the hot seat during the 2024 NFL season.
Even though the Eagles are 34-17 under his guidance in the regular season, they're only 2-3 with two one-and-done showings in three postseason appearances. If he falters again, you must consider replacing him with any available option — Belichick included.
For now, the outlook in the City of Brother Love looks promising. The Eagles head toward the 2024 NFL Draft tied for the eighth-best odds to win Super Bowl LVIX, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.
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