Belichick Interested in Coaching the Giants; Should New York Consider a Reunion?

Bill Belichick has given the Giants some fond memories over the years. He helped the Giants win two Super Bowls as the team's defensive coordinator from 1985-90, and also involuntarily helped the Giants win Super Bowls 42 and 46 by losing to them as head coach of the Patriots.

After 24 years in New England, Belichick is reportedly looking to help the Giants add to their trophy case again.

On January 11, Belichick and the Patriots mutually agreed to part ways after winning six championships together. Belichick immediately looked for another place to coach but to no avail. Seven teams were looking for a head coach this offseason (not counting the Patriots), yet no teams offered him the job. The Falcons were the only team to interview the future Hall of Famer.

NFL Rumors: Bill Belichick Interested in Coaching the Giants in 2025

Though he failed to find a job this year, that's not deterring Belichick from trying again next year. According to a report from ESPN, the Giants are one of three teams Belichick would be interested in coaching in 2025. Belichick might seem like an enticing candidate considering he orchestrated one of the greatest dynasties in NFL history, but how his Patriots tenure ended raises some red flags.

Despite unprecedented success together, Belichick doesn't have a great relationship with either Patriots owner Robert Kraft or former star quarterback Tom Brady. Belichick and Brady had a well-documented power struggle that ultimately led to Brady joining the Buccaneers in 2020. In the docuseries "The Dynasty," Kraft revealed that he "strongly" believes Brady never would have left the Patriots if Belichick was no longer with the team.

Belichick's relationship with Kraft is no better. According to the ESPN report, a source close to Kraft said the owner "found Bill to be extremely difficult and obstinate and kind of stubborn and, in the end, not worthy of his trust. And also very, very, very arrogant."

Not exactly a glowing review from Mr. Kraft. To make matters worse, Kraft reportedly warned Falcons owner Arthur Blank against hiring Belichick this offseason. Kraft told Blank "not to trust Bill," and the Falcons ended up passing on Belichick.

How Did Belichick Become So Undesirable?

Part of what led to the deterioration of these relationships was the power and control Belichick had over the team. Belichick was essentially the general manager as well as the head coach, playing a large part in New England's draft choices. While Belichick has mastered the X's and O's of the game, evaluating talent has not been his strong suit.

The Patriots have only drafted two Pro Bowlers since 2017: Mac Jones and Jake Bailey, who only made it once and are no longer with the team.

If Belichick were to be hired by the Giants, he almost certainly would not be allowed to operate as a general manager due to his poor track record with drafting. Even if Belichick agreed to focus solely on coaching, it's uncertain how many years Belichick could give the Giants.

By the time training camp begins for the 2025 season, Belichick will be 73 years old, making him the oldest coach in NFL history. On top of his age, there's concern Belichick mainly wants to continue coaching so he can break Don Shula's all-time wins record. Belichick is only 15 wins away from becoming the winningest head coach in league history, so it's possible Belichick would only stick around until he breaks the record.

Another concern with Belichick is the personnel changes he'll likely make once hired. Per the ESPN report, Belichick plans on bringing longtime assistants Matt Patricia and Josh McDaniels with him. While the trio succeeded in New England, they had an all-time great quarterback there to run the system, a luxury they certainly won't have in New York. Ultimately, overhauling the coaching staff might not be worth it for a couple of years of Belichick.

Not to mention, the Giants already have Brian Daboll, who is one year removed from being named NFL Coach of the Year. While the 2023 season didn't go as expected, this upcoming campaign would have to be an absolute trainwreck for the Giants to move on from Daboll.

It seems shocking that someone widely regarded as the greatest coach of all time could become completely undesirable, but that's essentially the case with Bill Belichick. Nobody questioned his harsh coaching style or complete control over the team's decision-making when the Patriots were a perennial title contender. These concerns only came to light after Belichick started losing, which coincided with Tom Brady leaving.

It might seem like a storybook ending for Belichick to finish his NFL career with the team he started it with, but the Giants would be better off leaving that book on the shelf.

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