William Stephen Belichick has coached in the National Football League since 1975, a span that has included nine presidents of the United States, eight Harry Potter films and three NFL commissioners. His place in the Pro Football Hall of Fame was assured long ago, and if he wants to coach again, even as he’s set to turn 72 in April, his resume is such that an owner will bite.
But, following Thursday’s parting with the New England Patriots, there is a major opportunity awaiting Belichick to forge a new career in which he would be welcomed and compensated as a conquering hero: sports broadcasting.
“Haven’t seen this many cameras since we signed Tebow.”
Bill Belichick opens his goodbye Patriots statement with a joke. pic.twitter.com/kqdZdtbVkE
— Chad Graff (@ChadGraff) January 11, 2024
Every network that airs the NFL would be interested in talking with Belichick. There might be some network executives who wonder whether Belichick could be engaging enough to be part of a studio group, but his cachet is such that you would audition him and do your best to make it work. There are no lead analyst jobs at the moment, and it seems unlikely that a road job outside of coaching would interest Belichick. But if he’d be interested in a game-analyst role, some networks would attempt to make that work too.
Here’s something you might not have known about Belichick and television: He won a Sports Emmy in 2021 for his work as an analyst on the NFL Network’s “NFL 100 All-Time Team” series.
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“He was outstanding in his role on the NFL 100 series,” said Amazon Prime Video’s Al Michaels, who has been in countless production meetings with Belichick. “Shows like that would be his sweet spot if he makes the jump to television. He’s extremely thoughtful and really never says anything simply for effect. Bill would bring light to a discussion, not heat.
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“I don’t see him in a conventional analyst role on game telecasts. He’d be expected to create some artificial energy, and that’s not him. His value would be in a role where the discussions would be relevant and meaningful and devoid of so-called ‘hot takes.’ He’s not Don Rickles, but he has a subtle sense of humor that would play well. His presence on ESPN’s ‘College GameDay’ show that preceded the Army-Navy game showed that he’s not averse to having some fun. I don’t know what he plans to do next, but there’s definitely a ‘right’ role for him in television.”
Bill Belichick took a page out of Coach’s book and brought his own headgear 😂#CollegeGameDay pic.twitter.com/ttcth1EAP5
— College GameDay (@CollegeGameDay) December 9, 2023
“I think Bill has more to do as a coach, but if he wanted to go into media, there would be plenty of options,” said CBS NFL broadcaster Ian Eagle, who estimates he has done 70 Patriots games over the years. “Brilliant football mind, ridiculous recall and actually has an excellent sense of humor. Studio would probably be the better fit because he could teach the game with well-developed segments and tell stories. His knowledge of football history among the coaches I’ve met with is unrivaled, and that is an untapped resource. In many of our production meetings, you learn something about the game that you didn’t know before you walked in. If that element could translate to the viewing public, then Bill would be invaluable in the role.”
Eagle’s and Michaels’ experience tracks with every NFL on-air person or producer I have asked about Belichick. As I’ve written before, I’ve thought for many years, perhaps counterintuitively, that Belichick would make an excellent NFL studio analyst should he pursue broadcasting following his coaching career. From an October article:
Seven years ago, I did a piece for Peter King’s “The MMQB” on Belichick’s weekly spot on “Patriots All Access,” a one-hour show produced by Kraft Sports Productions that aired weekly in Boston. As part of his “The Belestrator” and “Belichick Breakdowns” segments, viewers saw Belichick in his natural film-wonk habitat, an engaging mad scientist mixing football potions together. The segments provided compelling information, but most of all, they were authentic and unique. If an NFL studio show or booth was designed to let Belichick explain the whys of what was happening in front of us, it would be compelling television.
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I was curious about what salary Belichick could command as an analyst should he pursue sports broadcasting, so for that article, I spoke to three agents who negotiate sports television contracts. They were granted anonymity to speak freely about Belichick’s earning potential. The numbers would be lucrative should Belichick consider it, even if the agents were shooting a little high (as agents will do):
Said Agent No. 1: “I would put a salary at $8 (million) to $10 million annually (for the studio). Maybe $12.5 (million) to $15 million if there is a bidding war. CBS’ and Fox’s network studio shows are aging out. So both would theoretically be in play.”
Said Agent No. 2: “Most importantly, it would depend on the role. As of this moment, all of the top game analyst spots are taken. I can’t see any of those being upended. That said, Sean McVay was reportedly offered $20 million per year by Amazon, and we know where (Tony) Romo is. So if something unforeseen happens and he’s offered a top game analyst job, we would be talking $18 (million) to $20 million. The studio does not pay nearly as much.”
Said Agent No. 3: “Bill’s credibility and experience are more valuable than all current coaches working in media and most former players. I would place his annual value at $15 (million) to $18 million.”
Chad Finn, the sports media writer and general sports columnist for The Boston Globe, has been writing about the Patriots in one form or another since Pete Carroll was the head coach in the late 1990s. He believes Belichick would defy what many outside New England would expect and be terrific on television.
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“Sure, Belichick long ago cultivated a familiar, monosyllabic semi-misanthropic persona during his press conferences,” Finn said. “It seems to come naturally for him, though interestingly, if you look back at his introductory press conference when he accepted the Patriots job on Jan. 27, 2000, he’s engaging, charismatic, practically revelatory. His quickly established tactic of going spare on the details was presumably to keep a Patriots opponent from gaining even a morsel of information. But occasionally, he’ll open up. It usually happens on Friday when he’s clearly satisfied with the game plan. The topic that gets him going is almost always a lesson in NFL history — the timeline of left-footed punters, or what made Lawrence Taylor so dominant. For the six to eight minutes that he gets lost in a topic, it’s like taking a graduate-level history course.”
Given Belichick is only 14 wins behind Don Shula on the all-time list (including playoffs), the likeliest path for Belichick is one last coaching gig. But broadcasting would be an interesting option — and one that might be better for him than expected.
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(Photo: Uwe Anspach / Picture Alliance via Getty Images)
“The Football 100,” the definitive ranking of the NFL’s best 100 players of all time, is on sale now. Order it here.
