Sad News: He is leaving 49ers

Former Patriots coach Bill Belichick currently doesn’t have a job, but he’s definitely keeping busy.

He recently spoke at Nebraska’s annual coaching clinic. Cornhuskers head coach Matt Rhule, who was blown out as an NFL coach in Carolina, was blown away by Belichick.

“He is so smart, he’s seen so much, that he can make the complex so simple that it humbles you and embarrasses you,” Rhule said, via KETV 7 in Omaha. “I was embarrassed . . . listening to him, how smart he is, how simple it was. He went four and a half hours just with the coaches. Forget the clinic, like, he came in and met with our coaching staff. And three and a half hours in, I was like, ‘Coach, would you like a water? Cup of coffee? Would you like to use the restroom?’ Because I desperately had to use the restroom, you know? And he’s like, ‘I’m fine, Matt.’ I was like, ‘Yes, sir.’ Just sitting there and just talking, right?

“And just his recall from things 15 years ago. And the only reason why we don’t get through more information is because he’s having to slow down to make sure you understand what he’s saying. I mean, so you have this man who’s a savant, right? Who’s been a defensive coordinator. He’s been a special teams coordinator. He’s coached, you know, he could be an offensive coordinator. He’s been a head coach twice. He’s been a G.M. . . . He’s talking about football in a way that just like, I mean, illuminates things, that makes things so simple that you’re like, ‘Oh my goodness.'”

Oh my goodness is right. And seven teams could have hired him this year. None did.

The problem in most places is that Belichick’s presence would disrupt positions that weren’t vacant at the time the team was looking for a coach. Even if he would be willing to be just the coach and nothing more, his presence and that humbling and embarrassing knowledge will make it very hard for whoever has final say over the draft or the roster to be comfortable in that job.

Will someone give Belichick full power next year? That’s likely what it will take. Not to get Belichick to say yes, but to ensure that there’s no one on the payroll who would fear being exposed as fraudulent in comparison to Belichick. There aren’t many who wouldn’t be, especially if the team is doing poorly enough to fire its coaching staff.

So, yes, Belichick should be back in the NFL next year. He should be in the NFL this year. Neither guarantees that his absence will be limited to one year. Especially with age discrimination a very real but very downplayed reality for coaching and front-office jobs in the NFL.

The hot spot nevertheless continues to be the NFC East, where three teams could be hot on his trail before the 2024 season ends — the Cowboys, the Eagles, and the Giants.