Bill Belichick received at least one offer to continue his NFL career from the sidelines this season.
Kyle Shanahan said on “The TK Show” podcast, hosted by The Athletic’s Tim Kawakami, in an episode broadcast Monday, that he offered the former New England Patriots coach a position on his San Francisco 49ers staff but was declined.
“I did, I threw it out to him,” Shanahan said. “He is so passionate about football that you never know what he will do… I can’t believe he’s not now the head coach of a team. I know what I would do if I were an owner, so this surprises me, and you don’t want to offend someone like Bill Belichick. But I knew he simply loved ball in its most basic form, so I gave him free reign to do anything he wanted.
Shanahan said that this included the team’s defensive coordinator post, which was eventually filled when the 49ers elevated Nick Sorensen.
“I said, ‘Would you be interested?’ And he was extremely gracious and grateful, but he gently declined.”
Shanahan, then the offensive coordinator for the Atlanta Falcons, and Belichick memorably squared off in Super Bowl LI, which the Patriots won in overtime 34-28 after rebounding from a 28-3 hole.
Belichick and the Patriots parted ways following the season, capping a 24-year tenure in which he guided the team to six Super Bowl victories. His 296 victories with the Patriots (including playoffs) are the second most with a single club in NFL history, following only George Halas’ 324 with the Chicago Bears. His 333 coaching victories (including playoffs) rank second all-time behind Don Shula’s 347.
Belichick, 72, interviewed with the Falcons for the head coaching position, which went to Raheem Morris. He is now slated to join the NFL media, serving as an analyst for the CW’s “Inside the NFL,” joining the Manning brothers for their “ManningCast,” “Monday Night Football,” and a weekly appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show.”
However, Shanahan predicts Belichick will return to the NFL as a coach in 2025.
“I’m sure he’s going to be back in the league next year, and I could be playing against him,” Shanahan said on the podcast. “He may be in the NFC West. It would have been bad if he had come here and then turned against us, so it is something to be cautious about. But he’s the finest, and I like chatting to him.”
Who are the coaches for the San Francisco 49ers?
Head coach Kyle Shanahan currently leads the San Francisco 49ers. Known for his innovative offensive schemes, Shanahan has guided the team to multiple playoff appearances and Super Bowl contention. While he oversees the entire operation, there’s a dedicated staff of coaches handling specific areas like offense, defense, and special teams.
When did Kyle Shanahan start coaching the 49ers?
Kyle Shanahan became the head coach of the San Francisco 49ers on February 6, 2017. He was hired just one day after the Super Bowl that year.
Where is Bill Belichick coaching?
Belichick was connected to many positions this summer, including an interview with the Atlanta Falcons for the head coaching post, but he did not get one. He is scheduled to work in media as a commentator for Inside the NFL for the next season.
