Veteran Patriots Defender Reacts To Bill Belichick Not Getting Job Offer

Deatrich Wise was in the same camp as many other people when Bill Belichick parted ways with the New England Patriots last month.

Wise figured it was only a matter of time until Belichick landed his next head coaching gig. The veteran defensive lineman had first-hand knowledge of what Belichick could provide a team after playing for the coach for seven seasons.

But despite reportedly getting close to joining the Atlanta Falcons, there wasn’t much of a market for Belichick even though there were seven head coaching vacancies in the league, all of which are filled now.

Belichick being the odd-man out once the dust settled on the coaching hires certainly was not what Wise expected.

“It caught me by surprise a little bit that nobody is going to pick him up, but even though that’s the case, it doesn’t diminish him being a great coach. He’s still a great, great coach,” Wise told MassLive’s Chris Mason. “He still has done wonderful things for the game of football, the NFL, the city of Boston, and Patriot Nation.

“Whatever he chooses to do during this year, I wish him the best at it. I know he’s going to have a successful next chapter.”

With it looking likely that Belichick will be out of an NFL job for the first time in nearly half a century next season, the legendary coach could make the jump to television or wait things out until a job opens up in 2025.

However it plays out, Wise, who became a two-time captain for the Patriots after Belichick selected him in the fourth round of the 2017 NFL draft out of Arkansas, will be rooting for his former coach.

“We know the experience that Bill Belichick has had in the league and on our team, we all wish him the best wherever he goes,” Wise said.