“Bill Belichick still loves the Giants. He’d walk from Chapel Hill to East Rutherford if that job was offered,'' an NFL insider tells Fish. So why is the legendary coach pretending otherwise?
FRISCO - In recent years, Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has flirted with the idea of hiring Bill Belichick, even going so far as to exaggerate the facts about their friendships.
The truth? They are acquaintances. They are not pals.
The last time the connection was possible, of course, was last offseason, when Jones and the Cowboys settled on elevating top aide Brian Schottenheimer to his first-ever head coaching job.
And the Cowboys never even called Belichick.
Maybe this season at the University of North Carolina is explaining why not ... or at the very least is revealing that Dallas may have dodged a bullet.
How so? The New York Giants just fired head coach Brian Daboll, and I have it on very good authority that that vacancy represents Belichick's dream job.
And yet before any gossip connecting him to the Big Apple barely surfaced, here comes the famously manipulative coach announcing that he's pleased to stick with college football and has no interest in any NFL job.
More truth: Belichick is saying he doesn't want the Giants as a face-saving preemptive move ... because he knows the Giants don't want him.
Firing Daboll was an easy call, really; This year’s Giants have twice blown double-digit leads with under four minutes remaining and are just the second team in the Super Bowl era to do that. They’ve held double-digit leads in a total of six games that ended in losses.
And big-picture? For the third straight year, New York has started the season 2-8.
Daboll’s record across 2023 and 2024 was 9-25. His record since 2024 is 5-22. His record is 11-33 record over the past three seasons. Again, that is historically bad. ... and enough is enough.
So, what comes next?
For now? Assistant head coach and offensive coordinator Mike Kafka takes over as the interim head coach. ... and Belichick is pretending he wouldn't like to come "home.''
My long-time friend, NFL insider Gary Myers, has as much insight into Belichick and the Giants as anybody. And in my conversation with him preceding Bill's announcement, Myers made it clear to me that the incredibly accomplished Belichick still harbors one NFL dream.
Myers, who recently authored the book “Brady vs. Belichick. The Dynasty Debate,” tells me, “Bill still loves the Giants. He’d walk from Chapel Hill to East Rutherford if that job was offered.’’
But, adds Myers: “As much as I can make the case that Bill, if he’d give up personnel control, would be perfect for the job - he gets teary-eyed at the romantic thought of it - let me put it this way:
"There’s a much better chance of him wanting this than of the Giants wanting him.’’
That's a harsh reality for the proud Belichick, who at 73 and after his collapse with the Patriots and his subpar results with UNC simply doesn't get to write his own ticket anymore.
Myers also notes that Belichick’s high-profile girlfriend and assistant, 24-year-old ex-cheerleader Jordon Hudson, would be an obstacle here.
“This is a traditional and conservative franchise,’’ Myers says. “They wouldn’t care about his personal life. But coaches don’t have their girlfriends on the sideline carrying a clipboard and giving advice.’’
Kafka might be a candidate for the job. And ex-Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy certainly is.
Let's also put on the Giants list: Defensive coordinators Lou Anarumo (Colts), Brian Flores (Vikings), Vance Joseph (Broncos), Robert Saleh (49ers), Steve Spagnuolo (Chiefs), Jeff Hafley (Packers), Jesse Minter (Chargers) and Chris Shula (Rams).
And on offense? Let's mention the Seahawks’ Clint Kubiak, the Bucs’ Josh Grizzard and the Chiefs’ Matt Nagy.
Oh, and we’ll include college standouts Bret Bielema (Illinois), Marcus Freeman (Notre Dame) and Steve Sarkisian (yes, Texas, no matter how much everyone denies it) on the list as well.
The plugged-in Myers cites “a source who knows the Giants well who suggests that McCarthy (“He knows how to win’’), Patricia (“Still one of the best coordinators but a bad head coach’’ and Charlie Weis Jr. (He was Giants rookie QB Jaxson Dart’s coordinator at Ole Miss’’) are the top names.
All those guys are more attractive to the Giants than Belichick, who once coordinated New York to Super Bowls as Bill Parcells' top assistant?
So it seems. And therefore, rather than having that come out, Belichick is pretending that he wouldn't want the job, anyway - meaning he's now been reduced to being a "headline-grabbing name'' rather than a viable NFL candidate.