Source – Bill Belichick inquired about Jets coaching vacancy

Rich Cimini, ESPN Staff WriterDecember 14, 2024, 2:30 PM ET

CloseRich Cimini is a staff writer covering the New York Jets and NFL for ESPN. Rich has covered the Jets for more than 30 years and joined ESPN in 2010. Rich is also the host of the Flight Deck podcast. He previously served as a beat writer for the New York Daily News and is a graduate of Syracuse University. You can follow him on Twitter @RichCimini.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The New York Jets have a head coaching vacancy, and until this week, Bill Belichick was in need of a job. It caused the unthinkable.

Belichick, who left the Jets in 2000 and tormented the Jets for 20 years as coach of the New England Patriots and recently made critical comments about owner Woody Johnson, said he personally contacted him to inquire about the season opener. A source confirmed to ESPN on Saturday.

The Athletic first reported that Belichick’s camp had contacted the Jets, and the New York Post reported that Belichick himself made the inquiry. There were no formal discussions with the Jets, who fired Robert Saleh on Oct. 7.

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People close to Mr. Belichick expressed serious doubts about whether there was any real interest in him and suggested it was simply due diligence. According to ESPN’s Seth Wickersham, Belichick evaluated NFL availability and availability before taking the North Carolina job.

Belichick has long expressed his disdain for the Jets, so a reunion was never a realistic possibility. Belichick was introduced as the Tar Heels’ coach on Thursday, so it’s a development that’s not up for debate now, but one that raises some eyebrows given history.

In various media roles, Belichick criticized Johnson’s decision to fire Saleh just five games into the season. This bitter incident dates back a quarter of a century.

After serving on Bill Parcells’ staff from 1997 to 1999, Belichick famously left the Jets and resigned as “head coach of the New York Jets” on the same day he was supposed to replace Parcells. Belichick quit in part because he didn’t want to work for Johnson, who had just bought the team.

Belichick filed a lawsuit seeking to be released from his contract with the Jets, leading to a trade to New England, where he won six Super Bowls.

In 2007, the Jets accused Belichick of illegally videotaping their coach during games, sparking the Spygate scandal.

On November 25, Johnson announced the hiring of a 33rd team to assist the Jets in their search for a new coach and new general manager. GM Joe Douglas was fired on November 19th.

Saleh and Douglas were replaced by interim leaders Jeff Ulbrich and Phil Savage, respectively.