This Patriots-Giants Bill Belichick Conspiracy Theory Is Deliciously Ridiculous

No one really knows where Bill Belichick will end up after the 2023 NFL season, but a recent conspiracy theory about the Patriots head coach might have gone too galaxy brain.

New England was 2-8 heading into its Week 11 bye, but it would be completely inaccurate to claim the team tanked its way to the worst record in the AFC. The Patriots have been flat-out bad, and Belichick never has been one to have an attitude of losing on purpose.

Acclaimed Boston Globe columnist Dan Shaughnessy on Friday agreed with the notion that Belichick had no notion of tanking for a quarterback like Caleb Williams or Drake Maye.

Whether he wants to admit it or not, Belichick is chasing Don Shula for the all-time wins record for an NFL head coach — Shula is at 347, and Belichick is at 331 heading into the Patriots’ next game in Week 12. That could happen with a new quarterback under center next season or on another team.

There have been multiple teams thrown out for Belichick’s next destination, including a return to the New York Giants, who the Patriots play in Week 12. That matchup will have big ramifications for the 2024 NFL Draft order given the sides are among the worst teams in the league. However, Shaughnessy might have gone a step too far when he presented a conspiracy theory about where Belichick’s allegiances fall.

“Over the past 10 days, there have been rumors of Bill taking over the (Washington) Commanders, (Los Angeles) Chargers, (Dallas) Cowboys or Giants next season,” Shaughnessy wrote. “Which leads us to a ridiculous conspiracy theory regarding next weekend’s Stupor Bowl between the Patriots and Giants: If Bill knows he’s going to be coaching the Giants next year, he’d be helping himself greatly by coaching the Patriots to a win. It would move him a step closer to Shula, while keeping the Giants ahead of the Patriots in the draft order.

“Imagine that.

“Bill playing chess while everybody else is playing checkers.“

So Belichick’s grand plan would be to walk into MetLife Stadium and coach his team to victory? What a novel concept. Even Bill Parcells would never have thought about that.

In all seriousness, is that really the theory? Belichick tries to win football games for the Patriots to ruin their position in the draft and then leave? There’s a reason why “anti-tanking” isn’t actually a strategy. In the great words of Herm Edwards: “You play to win the game.”