Bill Belichick might not be as power-hungry as he’s being made out to be.
Belichick was shut out of a coaching job following his New England Patriots departure seemingly in part due to his perceived demands. The future Pro Football Hall of Famer was the head coach and de facto general manager for the majority of his tenure in Foxboro, Mass., and the general consensus was Belichick coveted the same slate of responsibilities when he hit the open market.
But that apparently isn’t the case. Legendary Dallas Cowboys coach Jimmy Johnson, who recently hosted Belichick at his South Florida home, revealed the 71-year-old’s mindset about his next opportunity.
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“Bill is upfront about it,” Johnson said on WQAM 560 AM in Miami, as transcribed by CBS Sports. “He said, ‘Hey, I don’t have to be in charge of everything.’ That’s what happened up in New England. He kind of fell into that deal, and it’s not necessarily that he pushed for it. That’s what happened because he was there for so long. He is more than willing to give up the decision-making to the general manager and the personnel people.”
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Johnson acknowledged NFL executives entered the offseason “a little bit afraid” of Belichick out of fear that they would “lose their jobs” if the latter joined their respective organizations. Nonetheless, Johnson believes Belichick will be in contention for more coaching opportunities next year.
In the meantime, Belichick is poised to enter his first season without an NFL coaching gig since 1974.
Featured image via Brian Fluharty/USA TODAY Sports Images
