Bill Belichick certainly intends to keep coaching in the NFL despite parting ways with the New England Patriots after 24 seasons.
After interviewing with the Atlanta Falcons, the sides never continued momentum and the franchise ultimately selected Raheem Morris to take over as their head coach.
With just two remaining vacancies in the NFL, Belichick's coaching status for 2024 isn't looking great. Could he take a year off, try out a different role in the sport and be ready to take over a team in 2025?
If that ends up being the case for the 71-year-old, three NFC teams could potentially have openings for the 2025 season:
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New Orleans Saints
Not all of the Saints' shortcomings can come down on head coach Dennis Allen.
New Orleans operates in a horrible cap situation, currently sitting $80 million over the threshold. New quarterback Derek Carr could not elevate the Saints to the postseason and key players defensively are aging.
The Saints still have plenty of talent on offense with Chris Olave and Alvin Kamara, which could put Allen on the hot seat if New Orleans cannot get out of a weak NFC South and make the postseason for the first time since 2020.
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Dallas Cowboys
Speculation surrounding Belichick's relationship with Dallas owner Jerry Jones made the potential union realistic, especially after an embarrassing playoff loss to the Green Bay Packers in the NFC wild-card round.
The Cowboys continue to seek their first NFC Championship Game appearance in the 21st century. The roster is filled with talent in all three phases of the game, creating fair expectations for Dallas with a team in the "championship or bust" phase.
Ultimately, Jones decided to bring current head coach Mike McCarthy back for another chance, retaining him for 2024. If McCarthy can't get it done, Belichick's success in another major market will have him ready to go, if he wants it.
Philadelphia Eagles
Another NFC East team fell short of championship expectations in 2023. Like Dallas, the Eagles have all sorts of talent across the roster.
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After starting 10-1, Philadelphia lost six of its final seven games to lose out on the division before the Tampa Bay Buccaneers eliminated the Eagles in the NFC wild-card round.
While head coach Nick Sirianni briefly felt job insecurity, three straight playoff appearances, including a trip to Super Bowl LVII, ensured he would indeed return in 2024.
If the Eagles start flat and short of a true contending level, Eagles staffers could be inclined to move past feelings about Belichick and hire the legendary head coach.
Featured image via Eric Canha/USA TODAY Sports Images