Bill Belichick, Mike Vrabel Top Landing Spots After Mike Macdonald Named Seahawks HC

Joseph Zucker@@JosephZuckerFeatured Columnist IVJanuary 31, 2024Bill Belichick, Mike Vrabel Top Landing Spots After Mike Macdonald Named Seahawks HC0 of 2

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It increasingly looks like Bill Belichick and Mike Vrabel are going to miss out in the NFL coaching version of musical chairs this offseason.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported the Seattle Seahawks are planning to hire Baltimore Ravens head coach Mike Macdonald. That leaves the Washington Commanders as the last remaining team without a coach.

It looked like the Commanders were zeroing in on Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson before he took his name out of the running entirely.

Schefter broke down Washington’s search last Saturday and neither Belichick nor Vrabel was included as a contender at this point.

The former is one of the greatest coaches in NFL history, while the latter had a .545 winning percentage in six years with the Tennessee Titans. Despite their strong résumés, they might be spending the 2024 season out of a job.

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During an appearance on The Rich Eisen Show, Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio argued in favor of the Commanders revisiting the candidacy of Belichick:

Rich Eisen Show @RichEisenShow💻 @ProFootballTalk

Why haven’t, or won’t, the Commanders just call Bill Belichick about their head coaching vacancy?#NFL HTTC pic.twitter.com/0upnoOjDvH

Florio reported on Jan. 7 that new owner Josh Harris “is enamored with the idea of Belichick coaching the Commanders.” Just days later, however, the narrative shifted dramatically with multiple reports distancing Washington from the 71-year-old.

If Belichick doesn’t return to the coaching ranks this season, one of two possibilities stand out from the rest.

The Dallas Cowboys go after him in 2025 because they yet again fell short of a Super Bowl appearance with Mike McCarthy at the helm. McCarthy is entering the final year of his contract, and team owner Jerry Jones is bound to get increasingly desperate if he has to find a new coach.

The other likely scenario is that we’ve seen the last of Belichick on an NFL sideline. The market is speaking for itself right now. A Hall of Fame-worthy career and eight Super Bowl rings haven’t been enough to guarantee him a soft landing spot to this point. Why would next offseason be any different when he’ll be a year older and perhaps even further behind the times schematically?

Belichick’s dispassionate attitude toward personnel moves was one reason behind his success with the New England Patriots. He left his emotion at the door when he felt it was time for change.

Now, the shoe is on the other foot.

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Unlike Belichick, a one-year sabbatical should do little to hurt Vrabel’s coaching stock, and he might already be eyeing up situations where the head coach is on the hot seat in 2024.

The Philadelphia Eagles and Chicago Bears jump out in that respect because they each have a coach widely assumed to be on shaky ground and offer something attractive to a prospective replacement.

The Eagles are only a year removed from winning the NFC, and Jalen Hurts showed his 2022 breakout wasn’t a fluke. His performance dipped a bit, but that still translated to 3,858 passing yards, 605 rushing yards and 38 total touchdowns. Having Hurts gives you a leg up on the competition even if a roster reshuffle is required in 2025.

For the Bears, an offense centered around USC star Caleb Williams would make up for their recent futility. Another disappointing season might mean more than just a coaching change, too, with general manager Ryan Poles facing increasing scrutiny. A coach such as Vrabel might prefer to be hired in tandem with the GM to ensure a strong connection between the two.

Of course, a return to his alma mater can’t be ruled out for the 48-year-old.

Were Ryan Day to be fired by Ohio State, Vrabel would immediately jump to the fanbase’s wish list. In addition, there’s little doubt as to whether the school could make it worth his while financially.

The big question is whether Vrabel would want to assume the year-round grind that working for a program as prominent as the Buckeyes requires.