After years of being unable to defeat Bill Belichick, NFL teams are suddenly unwilling to work with him. To Tom Brady, that just doesn’t make sense.
“I don’t know the criteria for hiring coaches. I’ve never been a part of it,” Brady said on his “Let’s Go!” podcast with Jim Gray and Larry Fitzgerald. “I’m surprised that the greatest coach ever doesn’t have a job, absolutely. But, you know, I’m surprised (about) a lot of things in the NFL.”
Given his reputation as one of the greatest coaches in NFL history, if not the greatest, it was a shocking surprise that Belichick did not get hired as head coach this coaching cycle.
Eight teams, including the Patriots when they parted company with him, had openings. In the end, Belichick was passed up in favor of players like Dan Quinn, Dave Canales, and Raheem Morris. New England also elevated linebackers coach Jerod Mayo to head coach.
Regarding if he’s shocked Bill Belichick didn’t land a head coaching position this cycle, Tom Brady said via Let’s Go! pod:
“You know I don’t know the criteria for hiring these guys— for hiring coaches. You know I’ve never been a part of it.
Even after scheduling a second meeting with Belichick, the Falcons were thought to be the front-runners for Belichick; but, following his productive tenure as the defensive coordinator for the Rams, they decided to go with the highly respected Morris.
Rumors have said that Belichick’s 71-year-old age and his demands for control caused teams to take divergent turns.
As he became a free agency following the 2019 season, Brady experienced what it’s like to be the best player at his position and still draw little interest from teams.
Before ending his career, he went on to win a Super Bowl with the Buccaneers the next season, placed second in the MVP voting in 2021, and made it to the postseason each of his three seasons in Tampa.
Brady’s remarks are especially significant because, despite their differences, he still stood up for Belichick
“When I was a free agent, there was a lot of teams that didn’t want me,” Brady said. “There’s a lot of things that happened that for one reason or another don’t go exactly the way you think they should go.”