The NFL's coaching carousel in this past offseason was one to remember. With established coaches such as Bill Belichick, Jim Harbaugh and Mike Vrabel on the market, it surprised many as just one of three was able land a gig.
Belichick, a Nashville resident, was the longest tenured head coach in the league spending 24 seasons with the New England Patriots. However his Patriots teams have sputtered, especially on offense, ever since Tom Brady left for Tampa Bay in 2020.
Belichick, who turned 72 years old on Tuesday, was linked to the vacancies in Atlanta and Washington, but didn't seem to really garner significant interest elsewhere, especially in Tennessee.
ESPN's Don Van Natta Jr., Seth Wickersham and Jeremy Fowler collaborated on a report which detailed Belichick's failed offseason job hunt. Included in the article is a brief passage outlining why Belichick and the Titans were never a match.
From ESPN: "The Titans, meanwhile, had fired Vrabel, one of Belichick's favorite former players. They wanted someone to collaborate with GM Ran Carthon. In a comment echoed by others, a source with a team that had a head-coaching vacancy this year said Belichick's 'ability to build a culture at this stage is an issue. ... He was so stubborn with the offense. He ran that offense down to a pulp. Mac Jones looked like a capable quarterback early. You think [Joe] Judge and Matt Patricia can run the offense for him? It's arrogance.'"
If the Titans were truly interested in turning the page, which the hire of Brian Callahan clearly indicates, then replacing Vrabel with the man who taught him everything he knows never made much sense.
Then one has to wonder how much longer Belichick would want to stick around at his new landing spot. With Titans QB Will Levis set to enter his first full season as a starter, pairing him with the aging Belichick never felt like a plausible scenario.
The only feat Belichick is still chasing is Don Shula's all-time wins mark. Shula (328) has the edge on Belichick (302), though Belichick has accumulated 31 playoff wins to Shula's 19 (Andy Reid ranks second all time with 26 playoff wins).
Tennessee wanted to provide a stable environment around Levis, and hiring a coach in his 70s whose only motivation left is chasing down a record isn't exactly a blueprint for long-term success.
It's fair to wonder whether the game has passed Belichick by, or if he'll ever coach again in the NFL. For such a revolutionary head coach to be passed on in an offseason that included eight head coaching vacancies likely indicates Belichick's legendary run has come to an end.
More must-reads: