The Washington Commanders made the final head-coaching hire of the 2024 cycle Thursday, tabbing former Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn as their new lead man. This was notable as it left several big names trapped on a now-motionless coaching carousel.
No name is bigger than Bill Belichick, who is regarded by most as the best head coach in NFL history. The 71-year-old interviewed multiple times with the Atlanta Falcons, who eventually went with Raheem Morris. It was a surprising development, and some are taking victory laps as Belichick is left jobless. That includes Baltimore Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey, who posted this on social media:
Humphrey has been critical of Belichick in the past, pointing to the possibility that it was Tom Brady who powered the New England Patriots dynasty, not Belichick -- who went 29-38 over the last four seasons without Brady.
Belichick is No. 2 all time in career wins, and the only coach in NFL history to win nine conference titles and six Super Bowls. He oversaw the creation of arguably the greatest dynasty in NFL history, but yes, Brady played a large part in that, too.
Some may look for Belichick to hang up the clipboard for good, but keep in mind he's 26 wins away from tying Don Shula for the most regular-season wins in NFL history, and 14 wins from tying Shula for the most wins including playoffs. Maybe Belichick will take a year off. He could potentially generate interest next cycle. Maybe from the Philadelphia Eagles if things go awry with Nick Sirianni, for example.