Is Bill Belichick staying or going in New England?

There are six NFL head coaching openings right now because Tennessee added their names to the list when they dismissed Mike Vrabel yesterday. We don't know if the Raiders are likely to hire Antonio Pierce or not, but right now there are six openings unless another one materializes in New England. Ben Volan from the Boston Globe who covers the Patriots but the National Football League as their senior NFL writer. He joins us on the Adam Gold show.

So we'll start right there. Do you anticipate Bill Belichick will be the coach of the Patriots next year? I gotta say the events of yesterday with Mike Vrabel being fired, that is bad news for Bill Belichick here in New England. It, it sure seems like everything's all lined up now for Vrabel to come in to New England and be the successor.

He's 48 years old. The crafts I think are clearly enamored with Mike Vrabel. You know, up here they inducted Mike Vrabel into the team's hall of fame this year.

And you know, they claim it was a fan vote, but I'm sure the owners can always tip the scales if they have to. And for the, the weekend that they celebrated him, it was the Titans by weekend. And, and, and so he came up for a Saturday ceremony, which you would expect. Then he shows up to the Sunday Patriots home game as well against the bills. And I thought, okay, maybe we'll do a ceremony for him on the field before the game or whatever. He sat in craft owner's box for the game. And then they did a whole thing for him at halftime.

And I mean, it was, I've never seen a head coach attend another game and sit with the owner like that. And, uh, I think it's pretty clear that there was some recruiting going on and, uh, uh, now Vrabel has, has shaken free. He, and, and the GM there in Tennessee, I don't think we're quite, uh, properly aligned to use the, the parlance that the Titans are used.

And now variables available. That's, that's a huge roadblock that's been removed for bringing him in. I don't think the Patriots were going to want to trade for him, but now that is available, that is bad news for Bill Belicheck. It is not looking good for him right now. Ben Volan from the Boston globe at Ben Volan on Twitter.

I have so many little offshoot questions there. Uh, cause I don't know how Mike Vrabel would necessarily be an upgrade on bill Belicheck, unless we, uh, kind of assume at this point that it's, it's just run its course. He can't take them any further.

Uh, and thus it's, I mean, I hate to use the term addition by subtraction, uh, but that's what I'll use. You know, it's not fair to say that Mike Vrabel is the same, you know, like profile of coaches, bill Belicheck. I mean, they're their own person and, uh, you know, with Belicheck, I do think there's a sense that after 24 years, it has kind of run its course and it's time and, you know, there's still a path maybe for it them to run back where maybe they hire, uh, someone like Scott Pioli to, to head the front office and they bring in Josh McDaniel to run the offense. Um, and you could keep Belicheck around for a couple of years at the same time. I think this variable thing is it's, he, he's a fantastic coach. I know his record the last two years has not been good, but you look at what, what, what's happened with the roster there and in the front office. I think a lot of that frankly, has been out of his control. And the first four years in Tennessee, 41 and 24, he took a team in the AFC championship game with road wins, came into Foxborough in the playoffs, took down Tom Brady, you know, that kind of performance sticks with someone like Robert Kraft.

You know, variable is a Patriot. He's 48 years old. I mean, that's kind of the other thing. It's like, Belicheck is going to be 72 in the spring.

You know, it's like, I don't blame the crafts for wanting to get a guy like rebel. Who's 48. Maybe he can be the next guy for the next 20 years.

I mean, who knows? I mean, he's able presents all kinds of, to me, fascinating options for like rebuilding the football operation, which has really fallen on hard times from all the defections they've had over the years. Coach is leaving front office execs. They really, you know, Belicheck doesn't have too many guys left, but you know, Vrabel, he can work with the old Patriots that that's what needs, you know, if they want to bring in Josh McDaniel's rebel has a relationship with him going back 20 years. If we're able wants to bring in, if they want to go something new, variable can bring in Arthur Smith or, uh, Todd Downing from the jets. Uh, you know, guys who were with him in Tennessee and they had a lot of success together. He's got contacts from the days with the Texans and, uh, the tight, so he's not just a Patriot. So he just presents, you know, a lot of different options for coaches for front office, you know, who he'd be aligned with for at GM.

And I just think if you're the crafts now is probably the time to strike he's available. If it's not the Patriots, he's definitely going to get another job. So yes, I think it's, I think it's incumbent upon the Patriots to bring him home now.

Yeah. And he doesn't have a con a coaching connection to the Patriots, right? And she was just as a player. I think his coaching was with what Kansas city, then Houston, then Tennessee, right? Uh, not Kansas city. I think he was at Ohio state with urban. Well, that was his first job.

And then he went to Houston with bill O'Brien who happens to be here as well. Right. Um, you know, another option.

And then he went to Tennessee and has a bunch of different connections there. So yeah, you just have more options and, you know, Newton, you know, younger voices and fresher voices. And, you know, I, I don't know exactly where the craft stand. I don't know if it's a Doug dealer, if they're still considering, you know, bringing back Bella check.

Cause it's not just Bella check. It'd be several coaches, several front office. People would probably, you know, be shown the door with him and there'd be a lot of, a lot of turnover if Rabel comes. So I think the craft, they don't take that lightly, but yeah, I mean, it sure seems like I was always told that their home run scenario is bravel is head coach and Casario at GM and Casario is with the Texans and they had a great year. So I don't know if he's going to shake free, but we're able to sit in right there. Rabel sitting right there like a batting practice basketball.

Now it's a crafts can just knock it out of the park. And the Patriots have the third pick in the draft. I don't know if there are three quarterbacks worth picking in the top three. There are definitely two worth picking in the top two. So I don't know if they'll have a chance at Caleb Williams or, and Drake may, but I know Jayden Daniels has been, he's the Heisman trophy winner and he's certainly rising in mock drafts.

I just think that's more about, this is the way we do things now. So assuming that Robert Kraft decides to move on from Bill Belichick, that will be pain, that will be painful for a lot of people in New England in spite of the last several years. Does, where does Bill go? Does he have interest in Carolina for instance? Yeah, I look, I think Bill has interest in any team that's willing to give him the best offer, willing to give him head coach and, and you know, as much power as he can get, you know, it's all about the offer for him.

I don't think it's like the old Seinfeld joke of like you root for laundry. Like I don't think Belichick really cares as long as it's the offer. And I do think Carolina is in play.

I think Tepper, we'll see, he's going to shoot big. He's going to want Ben Johnson and a lot of other guys, but if he starts hearing no and he might, given what's going on around there, does he just swing for the biggest fish, you know, in Bill Belichick? I think that's in play. And then I think right down the road in Atlanta, I think that's definitely going to be in play. I, that might even be, I think more, and I think Arthur blank would love to get someone like Belichick three straight years with a seven and 10 record. Not very, you know, a team that's not very relevant. As soon as you hire Bill Belichick, uh, everyone starts talking about the Atlanta Falcons and they have some talent. They just need to figure out quarterback. So we'll see what we'll see what happens there. But yeah, I'm looking at those two NFC South teams.

I think those make sense. Uh, you know, and look, there's still going to be some more jobs that open up. I don't think the coaching carousel is going to stop spinning quite yet.

So it's, uh, the landscape is still kind of taking shape. Um, but I do think kind of behind the scenes, Belichick is starting to set some things up because he probably sees the writing on the wall with my gravel as well. It'll be fascinating to see how it does ultimately go down.

Uh, it'll have to be something mutual. I just can't in my mind's eye see, uh, you know, having them come out and say, Bill Belichick has been fired as the coach of the new England Patriots. What is the best spot for Jim Harbaugh?

As we say goodbye to Ben Vole. Uh, the chargers maybe, although I hear they like, um, uh, Ben Johnson and he, he might be one of the favorites there too, but, uh, you keep hearing chargers and Raiders and I know Mark Davis really, uh, has had his eye on, on Jim Harbaugh for awhile, but Antonio Pierce and, and the, the, the support he has from the locker room that may back Mark Davis into a corner a little bit. And they might have to stick with Antonio appears just to not have a revolt in his locker room, but he, he, he misread the room once when he hired Josh McDaniel. So maybe, maybe he'll, you know, he'll go against his players again and hire Jim Harbaugh. But yeah, I mean the Raiders, that's kind of the one that everyone seems to be talking about right now. I don't know why I think Washington is the perfect spot for Jim Harbaugh.

That's a good one. I hadn't really considered it, but you know, they'll have the number two pick and, uh, I know, you know, Josh Harris, you know, it's curious what, if they're looking for a guy with experience or a younger coach who can kind of grow and, and, you know, make his mark with, with that organization. Um, but yeah, I mean, that, that's, that would, that would certainly put Josh Harris on the map. If you went out and got Jim Harbaugh, they've got the number two pick. They'll get one of those two quarterbacks. Um, that, that, that is a very intriguing situation and it's not the same old Washington anymore.

It's a different, the different era. Now, um, you know, you talk about the Patriots and number three, though, if you're telling me that Marvin Harrison Jr. Falls to them at number three, I think they run to the podium and take him and they worry about quarterback later in the draft or what have you, I think a player like that, you know, you know, that's a Marvin Harrison Jr. Could be a franchise changing player as well. So I think there's going to be a battle at the top as much for him as for the two quarterbacks. Yeah. Draft Marvin Harrison, uh, junior number three, and then just take a quarterback in the sixth round. Cause that's worked well before, right?

It's a foolproof plan. Really? Ben Volin from the Boston globe. Hey, thank you very much for the time, man. Happy new year. We'll talk again. All right. Thanks, Adam. You got it. Ben Volin here on the Adam Gold show, the reference to the sixth round, of course, was Tom Brady was six.

Nevermind. Um, I'll be fascinated to see how that plays out the way it plays out in new England. And it's, it's probably going to have to happen relatively soon. Mike Vrabel as an established head coach is not going to be sitting around for very long. He's a hot commodity. Like the list that we saw that w that we referenced yesterday about who the Panthers are going after that list was compiled before Mike Vrabel was fired.

Yes. And now remember that list is also, this is who the Panthers have requested permission to speak with. And Mike Vrabel, you don't need permission to speak with a quarterback who is not employed or a head coach who is not employed. He's absolutely.

So I would, I would anticipate, uh, the Panthers would at least kick the tires on Mike Vrabel. I hope so. So.

I don't know. He's like the cute puppy at the rescues. You know how rescues all have like, you know, a certain type of dog and unfortunately Sarah. Yeah.

He's like the purebred that sneaks into a rescue and everybody's going to flee to him. Exactly. Um, would you take Bill Belichick? Yeah, sure.

Why not? Because if we put that out, I will bet that Bill Belichick would not be Panthers fans first choice. Yeah. Well, I think you just have to look at his resume. Yeah. He may not be the same Belichick, but he could absolutely do good things here.