It seems no one wants Bill Belichick.
After striking out as a free agent head coach, many had speculated that the ex-Patriots coach was destined for a gig as a broadcaster, but you can cross joining Stephen A. Smith’s “First Take” on ESPN off that list.
“I don’t think Bill Belichick is going to be good at all [at broadcasting],” Smith said on Chris Long’s “Green Light” podcast. “It’s not about his talent. It’s about the fact that you don’t go from not giving a damn about the audience and having virtually nothing to say for years to people suddenly caring about what you have to say.”
During Belichick’s time as the Patriots coach, he was known for his short-lived, non-emotional one-word answers during press conferences and robotic interactions with fans.
“We’re on to Cincinnati,” is one famous quote that took on a life its own as a general answer for Belichick during his tenure.
There was, of course, a viral meme of Belichick ignoring two young Lions fans looking for a high five.
All in all, Belichick has been anything but endearing to fans for the last 30 years, so Smith’s comments come with plenty of examples of the future Hall of Fame coach’s lack of personality and respect for the casual fan.
“You have to ingratiate yourself with an audience to give them something to look forward to when you have the opportunity to do so,” Smith continued.
“You can’t be on top of your pedestal, literally for decades going to winning six Super Bowls going to nine Super Bowls as a head coach, 11 overall as a defensive coordinator and head coach never having a damn thing to say, and then all of a sudden when you can’t get a job, we’re supposed to care about what they have to say.”
Belichick interviewed twice with the Falcons during this offseason, but those talks stalled as his search for a head coaching position. Belichick has remained silent since those talks broke down and now faces the likelihood of not being involved in the NFL at all in 2024.
“Here’s how you know, we live in an age where you see youngsters entrenched in analytics and data, quantitatively, qualitatively, looking at things a certain way, managing it, analyzing it, and speaking the language of the owners. Right?” Smith said.
‘Why do you think Bill Belichick don’t have a job? That’s the reason. Because these guys want to do what they want to do, and you know, good and damn well Bill Belichick has forgotten more football than most of these people know. so once he comes in house, who is he going to listen to?
Smith believes if Bill Belichick were to land a coaching job again, it would be by the sole discretion of the owner, not an executive who could wind up being ignored by Belichick.
“I think the overall point is more profound than you’re willing to admit, no one gives a damn about Bill Belichick right now. What they say is he’s a six-time champion we know he’s a brilliant football mind, but no one cares.”
As for Belichick’s former dynamic partner Tom Brady, Smith is far more bullish on him with his career in sports media.
“I think that Tom Brady for example, is going to be a superstar in broadcasting. I have interviewed him. I have talked to him. I believe in Tom Brady. I think he is going to be spectacular, trust me on this.”