Life is going to look a little bit different for Bill Belichick this season.
For the first time in nearly 50 years, Belichick won’t be coaching in any capacity. He first served as a special assistant on the Baltimore Colts’ staff way back in 1975, well before cementing himself as one of the greatest head coaches in NFL history during his 24 seasons with the New England Patriots (2000-23).
Belichick and the Patriots “mutually agreed to part ways” back in January, and it wasn’t long before the Atlanta Falcons interviewed him for their open head-coaching position.
Atlanta believed former Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris was the man for the job, leaving Belichick unemployed.
That’s where Peyton and Eli Manning stepped in.
Even though the two signal-callers were often thorns in Belichick’s side during their playing careers, they had no problem recruiting the 72-year-old for “ManningCast,” ESPN’s alternate broadcast of “Monday Night Football.”
And it’s hard to imagine a worse guest for a three-hour show that’s meant to be laidback and humorous.
There’s been a lot of terms used to describe Belichick over the past two-plus decades. “Social butterfly” certainly isn’t one of them.
Belichick was known for his short, monotonous responses to media members’ questions at press conferences during his time in New England. It wasn’t until May that he proved he had a pulse and could in fact express joy, appearing on “The Roast of Tom Brady” to take a few shots at the legendary quarterback.
You can’t deny that Belichick is a great football mind—he wouldn’t have eight rings, six of which came with the Patriots, if he wasn’t. But he isn’t a lively jokester who will add a lot of substance to the “ManningCast” entertainment-wise.
In small doses, Belichick could be a great addition, as long as he makes appearances here and there. Perhaps he comes on to break down two or three plays a game, then calls it a night.
However, it sounds like we’re going to be seeing a lot of Belichick. Peyton Manning said that the former coach is going to be featured on every episode in 2024, and he will likely be jumping on the broadcast at the front of the show.
So, for those who hate Belichick, we reckon they’ll be changing the channel pretty quickly.
Maybe Belichick does break out of his shell and portray himself as the roaster who wasn’t afraid to joke about Brady and his infatuation with his trainer and nutritional guru, Alex Guerrero.
But if we get the hard-nosed version of Belichick, who nearly had a dictatorship going in New England for 20-plus years, the Mannings need to re-think their hiring practices.
No matter what Belichick brings to the table, the viewer is going to come away a winner. Either Belichick really does become personable, likable even, or he further establishes himself as a villain. Or even worse, a boring old man.
We’d lean toward him taking the latter route, so let’s just hope that the Mannings have plenty of other guests lined up.
