Garrett Wilson’s Jets Future Uncertain?
The highly regarded quartet of player the Jets added within the first two rounds of the 2022 draft will be eligible for second contracts this offseason. In the case of wideout Garrett Wilson, the matter of whether or not he wishes to remain in New York appears to be less certain than it recently did.
Last week, both Wilson and Davante Adams provided updates with respect to their futures beyond the current campaign. Adams (who arrived via trade to reunite with Aaron Rodgers) has two years left on his deal but no guaranteed salaries over that span. Especially if Rodgers is not retained, therefore, he could find himself on the move once again. Rodgers’ Jets tenure is unclear as the team prepares to hire a new general manager and head coach in the near future.
Wilson’s recent comments indicated he would be on board with remaining in New York with or without Rodgers moving forward. In the wake of Sunday’s win over the Jaguars (during which the 24-year-old had a visible outburst with receivers coach Shawn Jefferson), though, Wilson was asked again about the prospect of signing a long-term Jets extension. His response was less certain this time around.
“I don’t know, man,’ Wilson replied (via ESPN’s Rich Cimini). “I just go about my day… If they [extend my contract], that would be a blessing. It would be awesome. I love the Jets. At the end of the day, they were the ones that believed in me. But, yeah, I can’t be worrying about that.”
Wilson’s rookie pact runs through 2025, and the Jets have the ability to exercise his fifth-year option and in doing so keep him on the books through at least 2026. Taking that route would come as no surprise, seeing as the Ohio State product is on track to surpass 1,000 receiving yards in each of his first three seasons in the NFL. Cimini adds, however, that a source familiar with Wilson’s situation “wouldn’t be surprised” if he were to request a trade this offseason.
Trade calls came in prior to this year’s deadline, but then-GM Joe Douglas turned them down. Douglas has since been fired, joining former head coach Robert Saleh in that respect. Wilson did not indicate if the Jets’ next HC and GM hires would influence his desire to sign a long-term deal, but the team does hold his rights for two more seasons — via the option that will almost definitely be exercised by the May deadline — and thus retains the hammer in a potential standoff.
Still, Wilson expressed disappointment with the Jets’ Nathaniel Hackett plan in 2023 and then saw the team retain the OC for 2024. Regardless of Wilson’s feelings about playing with the Jets post-Rodgers, he has seen QB turnover affect his career. The Jets largely saddled him with the wildly disappointing Zach Wilson for two seasons, and before the Adams trade, the team had not done well to provide complementary help. Wilson has scored a career-high six touchdowns, a fact partially highlighting the team’s QB issues from 2022-23, this season and is moving toward a third 1,000-yard campaign.
After a turbulent 2024 that brought a significant step back — and some unusual headlines to close out the year — the Jets have some big-picture issues to navigate in 2025. Beyond the searches for the next GM and head coach, Gang Green has Sauce Gardner, Breece Hall and Jermaine Johnson joining Wilson in being set to become extension-eligible. Despite a rocky season, Gardner presumably remains in the Jets’ long-term plans along with Wilson.
It will be interesting to see how the team approaches Hall and Johnson; the latter can be kept on the books through 2026 via a fifth-year option as well. That said, the Jets may be leery of carrying three fifth-year options on their 2026 payroll. It would then behoove the team to extend one or more of these starters next year, but some moving parts exist thanks to the decision-makers that brought in these talents being out of the picture.
Sam Robinson contributed to this post.
Jets Interview Jim Nagy For GM Job
A fourth candidate has emerged in the Jets’ GM search. The team completed an interview with long-time NFL scout Jim Nagy today, per CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones.
[RELATED: Jets Interview Thomas Dimitroff For GM]
Nagy has served as the executive director of the Senior Bowl since 2018. The executive was previously an NFL scout for close to two decades. Most recently, he had a six-year stint with the Seahawks (2013 to 2018), and he previously spent time with the Redskins, Patriots, and Chiefs. He’s earned four Super Bowl rings with three different organizations (Green Bay, New England, Seattle).
Nagy does have a small connection to the current Jets front office. As Jones notes, Jets interim GM Phil Savage served as the Senior Bowl’s executive director prior to Nagy. Now, Nagy has another chance to supplant Savage in a role.
This marks the Jets third interview to replace Joe Douglas as general manager. The team previously completed interviews with former Falcons GM Thomas Dimitroff and former Titans GM Jon Robinson. The team is also expected to meet with Louis Riddick about the role. Woody Johnson handed his search over to two former GMs (Mike Tannenbaum, Rick Spielman), and the duo are expected to cast a wide net as they look to get the organization back on track.
Aaron Rodgers Open To Another Pay Cut To Remain With Jets; Team Likely To Draft QB
In the Jets’ Week 15 win over the Jaguars, Aaron Rodgers posted his first 300-yard passing game since the 2021 season. Showcasing his rapport with Davante Adams, Rodgers may also have continued to make his case he can be a team’s starter in 2025.
Rodgers has gone from leaning toward playing next season to being undecided. The four-time MVP again said he would take time to process his future after the season. Though, he added (via SNY’s Connor Hughes) a Jets release could come soon after the season. The Jets could designate Rodgers a post-June 1 cut, but were they to do so, the transaction cannot occur until the start of the 2025 league year (March 12). If the Jets are keen on taking a $49MM dead money hit in 2025, they could release Rodgers in February.
It is interesting to hear a starting quarterback assess his future in this way, though Rodgers has obviously become a rather outspoken presence over the past few years. The Jets are widely believed to be ready to move on at season’s end. Woody Johnson attempted to have the decorated QB benched on at least one occasion, with another effort also rumored to have taken place. With the Jets readying to start over at GM and HC, that duo is expected to look for a new starting quarterback as well.
The Raiders and Giants, however, have the inside track to the 2025 draft’s top two quarterback prospects — Shedeur Sanders and Cam Ward. (At 4-10, the Jets are projected to pick eighth.) In a QB class not viewed as particularly special, the Giants and Raiders finishing with the league’s two worst records could force other teams to look more closely at free agency or the trade market. The Jets have a player other teams would seemingly consider, baggage and all, but Rodgers has said his first choice would be to remain a Jet. He added another detail to this stance Wednesday, indicating (via Hughes) he would be open to a contract adjustment to stay.
Rodgers, 41, did not limit potential solutions to a pay cut. Though, a restructure would push more money into the future; it would be unlikely if a new Jets regime was ready to go down that road. It would already cost the team $49MM in dead money — as of now, that would be the second-highest single-player total in NFL history — for the Jets to release Rodgers. They could split that amount through two years with a post-June 1 cut.
Similar to his 2023 Packers arrangement, Rodgers is due a $35MM roster bonus that can be paid at any point before Week 1, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler notes. That timeline gave the Packers flexibility to move on, executing a trade in late April of last year. The Jets are unlikely to have a comparable trade market, though Rodgers being open to a few solutions could also include reducing the bonus number. Of course, he could simply force a release and keep the contract as is. Rodgers would still have full control over a trade destination due to a no-trade clause, but given the developments over the past two seasons, it would be more realistic if he were released.
Rodgers’ latest complex contract would also make him more expensive to cut in 2026 than 2025, per ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini, who notes the dead cap charge would increase to $63MM if the Jets retain him in ’25 and move on a year later. The option bonus being paid by the Jets before Week 1 of next season would prorate through the contract’s life (four void years are on the deal) and accelerate onto their 2026 cap sheet. The Broncos faced a somewhat similar situation with Russell Wilson, whose 2025 salary guarantee would have made him a bit more expensive to drop in 2025 compared to a 2024 release. Denver ended up biting the bullet, producing an $83MM-plus dead money total that shattered the NFL record.
Through that lens, the Jets keeping Rodgers in 2025 on his current contract may be a nonstarter. But the 20-year veteran did accept a significant pay cut in 2023 to help the Jets, removing roughly $35MM from his deal in August of last year. Another such move may be the only decision that could keep him in New York.
Regardless of Rodgers’ 2025 status, the Jets are expected to draft a quarterback, per NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport. The Jets did not bring in an heir apparent in 2023 or ’24, centering their plan on their aging starter. Rodgers has experience in a team drafting a passer early, with the Packers’ 2020 Jordan Love trade-up famously rankling the QB and leading to the 2021 standoff. Green Bay brass not alerting Rodgers of that trade-up beforehand became a point of contention, but he still played three more seasons with the team. If Rodgers manages to stick around with the Jets, it likely would be for just one more season. Only void years remain on Rodgers’ contract beyond 2025.
As of now, the Jets are not expecting Johnson to be part of Donald Trump’s second presidential administration. That would mean the longtime owner, who was away as the ambassador to the United Kingdom from 2017 through January 2021, would make the decision on Rodgers. Based on what we have heard thus far, Johnson would likely come down on the side of starting over.
If the Jets do not hold a top-two pick, their options may narrow to the point keeping Rodgers could become a consideration. How Rodgers plays over the team’s final three games and how he approaches the offseason will contribute to the Jets’ near-future plan, as the prospect of an all-time QB great hitting free agency at 41 will loom barring a significant change.
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/18/24
Wednesday’s minor NFL moves across the league:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed to active roster: P Michael Palardy
Cleveland Browns
- Signed off Jets’ practice squad: TE Brenden Bates
- Placed on IR: RB Nick Chubb (story)
Indianapolis Colts
- Claimed off waivers (from 49ers): CB Ambry Thomas
- Designated to return from IR: CB JuJu Brents
New York Jets
- Designated to return from IR: DT Leki Fotu
- Placed on IR: S Jalen Mills
Seattle Seahawks
- Activated from IR: T Stone Forsythe
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Reverted to season-ending IR: OLB Markees Watts
Mills, the former Eagles’ and Patriots’ starter had taken on a bigger role in New York as usual starter Tony Adams took fewer snaps due to a hamstring injury. He’ll miss the remainder of the season due to a broken collar bone.
Forsythe had taken over as the starting right tackle following an injury to George Fant in the season opener before ending up on injured reserve himself with a hand injury.
Watts’ 21-day practice window has come and gone without an activation. As a result, he’ll revert back to IR without the ability to be activated.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/18/24
Today’s practice squad transactions:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: LB Keshawn Banks, RB Tony Jones Jr.
Atlanta Falcons
- Released: K Tanner Brown
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: WR Dax Milne, LB Jackson Mitchell
Cincinnati Bengals
- Signed: DE Isaiah Thomas
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: RB Jacob Kibodi
New England Patriots
- Signed: WR Alex Erickson
New Orleans Saints
- Released: DT Kendal Vickers
New York Jets
- Signed: OLB Bradlee Anae, RB Zach Evans, TE Neal Johnson
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: TE Kevin Foelsch
Mike Vrabel Jets’ Preferred HC Candidate?
The Jets are one of three teams with a head coaching vacancy at this point, and other openings will no doubt be in place once the regular season ends. When the hiring season opens, Mike Vrabel will be among the top names to watch. 
[RELATED: Bill Belichick Contacted Jets About HC Gig]
The former Titans head coach is currently finishing out the 2024 season in his Browns post, but he could very well be on the move soon. Vrabel will “probably” be the most sought-after coach during the offseason, Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer writes. Breer adds each of the three teams currently known to be in need of a new coach (Jets, Saints and Bears) have Vrabel on their radar, which comes as no surprise. New York in particular could emerge as a strong suitor.
Vrabel’s name has come up more often than that of any other HC candidate with respect to the Jets’ opening, Jason La Canfora of the Washington Post reports. New York will have competition for the 49-year-old if his market proves to be as strong as it is expected to be. As La Canfora notes, however, the fact that the Jets have a general manager interview lined up with Jon Robinson is an indication Vrabel is high on the team’s list of preferred candidates. Vrabel and Robinson worked together in Tennessee, and reuniting that pairing would represent a feasible move on New York’s part.
The Jets are using The 33rd Team as part of the ongoing general manager and head coaching searches, a process which has seen Mike Tannenbaum and Rick Spielman take point. Their input will be key in informing the organization’s ultimate decision on both fronts, so connections to the candidates for each post are important to monitor. In that regard, Vrabel is a candidate to watch closely.
“Rick Spielman loves Mike Vrabel,” an anonymous executive told La Canfora. “He’s always loved Vrabel. That’s the guy they want.” A GM concurred that Vrabel (meeting the criteria of an experienced NFL head coach) is the Jets’ preferred option.
The Titans made the postseason during three of Vrabel’s first four seasons at the helm, including a trip to the AFC title game in 2019. Over his final two years, though, the team went 13-21 and Tennessee cleaned house by resetting on the sidelines and in the front office. Vrabel’s stock has not taken a hit, given the fact he has been floated as a candidate for the Bears and – should they make a change this winter – the Patriots.
The Browns made a new commitment to Kevin Stefanski with an offseason extension, and owner Jimmy Haslam recently confirmed an organizational reset is not being considered. If Vrabel is to land another head coaching opportunity this offseason, it will therefore come with an outside organization. The Jets will no doubt continue to be linked to him over the coming weeks.
Woody Johnson Unlikely To Leave Jets For Trump Administration Role?
The first Donald Trump presidential administration featured Jets owner Woody Johnson as the ambassador to the United Kingdom. This led to Johnson not being directly involved with the Todd Bowles firing or the hires of Joe Douglas and Robert Saleh. As the decks are being cleared in New York, Johnson may be playing the lead role as the team retools.
Johnson is not set to be the next UK ambassador; investment banker Warren Stephens is on track to serve in that post. While Johnson could be in line for a separate role during Trump’s second term, CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones notes the Jets are not expecting the owner be part of this administration.
[RELATED: Jets Attempted To Set Up Johnson-Bill Belichick Meeting]
This route taking shape would keep Johnson with the Jets during what will be an eventful period. The Jets fired Saleh after Week 5, with Johnson going around Douglas to make that move, and the owner then canned Douglas last month. The Saleh firing did not key a boost for the Jets, who have slunk to 4-10 (2-7 under interim HC Jeff Ulbrich), and they are believed to be prioritizing experience this time. Since Bill Belichick‘s abrupt resignation in 2000, the Jets have primarily hired first-time head coaches; Adam Gase was the only exception during Johnson’s 24-year ownership tenure.
Woody Johnson, 77, leaving the team in 2017 left brother Christopher Johnson in place as acting owner. The less seasoned Jets leader led the Douglas and Saleh hires, firing Bowles in 2018 and GM Mike Maccagnan in 2019. Christopher Johnson is expected to play a role in the upcoming hires, with Jones adding Jets president Hymie Elhai will be part of the process as well. But this set of hires will feature Woody Johnson as the final decision-maker.
The prospect of Woody Johnson being the point man is also interesting due to the increased role he has taken on in recent months. Johnson has meddled in personnel matters significantly in 2024, with Jones indicating he has taken on a greater role as the year has progressed. The offseason involved Johnson impeding Douglas on a Bryce Huff offer while also nixing a trade for Jerry Jeudy. Johnson also appeared more resistant to a Haason Reddick extension than Douglas was, though the owner did step in — with Douglas effectively stripped of power — to finalize the agreement to bring him in.
Reports of a rift between Woody Johnson and Aaron Rodgers emerged as well. Johnson called for Rodgers’ benching after a Week 4 loss to the Broncos and may well have done so again at a different point in the season. While the future Hall of Fame quarterback — believed to be on his way out of New York — attempted to downplay those reports, it is clear Johnson has become a more prominent presence with regards to roster say than he has in the past. With Johnson potentially staying put, this will be a key component as the Jets attempt to hire HC and GMs. Mike Vrabel, who is viewed as an early frontrunner, will need to take potential Johnson input into consideration.
Ex-Jets GM Mike Tannenbaum and ex-Vikings GM Rick Spielman are playing central roles in the Jets’ hiring process as well, being brought in by Woody Johnson to run the interview process. This has already brought GM interviews with Thomas Dimitroff and Jon Robinson. GM and HC candidates not tied to teams are free to interview now, but clubs conducting searches must wait until divisional-round week to meet with candidates who are on other staffs. As the Jets attempt to reverse course after their NFL-long playoff drought has reached 14 seasons, it seems Woody Johnson will see this process to the end this time.
Updated 2025 NFL Draft Order
This NFL season saw several teams slip out of contention quicker than usual, slimming wild-card races and expanding the pursuit for the No. 1 overall pick. Two teams now lead that race.
While no prospect on the Caleb Williams level is dangling for the Raiders and Giants, an interesting showdown has formed. With three weeks to go, the Giants would currently hold the top 2025 draft choice. But based on projected strength of schedule, the Raiders would win the tiebreaker if the results held. The team with the weaker overall strength of schedule would win that. The Giants still have a game against the 12-2 Eagles, while the Raiders’ upcoming matchup with the 3-11 Jaguars works in their favor.
The Giants have not held the No. 1 pick in the common draft era (1967-present), last making a choice atop a draft in 1965 (running back Tucker Frederickson). Their Eli Manning trade occurred after the Chargers had chosen the quarterback to start the 2004 draft. The Raiders have held the top pick once in the common draft era, famously choosing JaMarcus Russell to start the ’07 draft. Both teams have coaches fighting for their jobs, but each also has seen All-Pros (Dexter Lawrence, Maxx Crosby) removed from equations. Losers of 10 straight, the Raiders follow their Jaguars matchup with games against the Saints and Chargers. The Giants, who have dropped nine consecutive games, go Falcons-Colts-Eagles to close the season.
Five 3-11 teams sit behind the Raiders and Giants presently, with the NFL having nine teams who have already lost double-digit contests. If a Giants or Raiders win occurs, there are candidates to move toward pole position in what could be races for Shedeur Sanders and Cam Ward. Though, a non-Giants or Raiders team finishing in the top two creates a bit more intrigue, as both those clubs are in dire need of QB help.
With an eye on teams’ projected strength of schedule based on current records, here is how the draft order looks with three games to go:
- Las Vegas Raiders (2-12)
- New York Giants (2-12)
- New England Patriots (3-11)
- Jacksonville Jaguars (3-11)
- Carolina Panthers (3-11)
- Tennessee Titans (3-11)
- Cleveland Browns (3-11)
- New York Jets (4-10)
- Chicago Bears (4-10)
- New Orleans Saints (5-9)
- Miami Dolphins (6-8)
- Indianapolis Colts (6-8)
- Cincinnati Bengals (6-8)
- Dallas Cowboys (6-8)
- San Francisco 49ers (6-8)
- Atlanta Falcons (7-7)
- Arizona Cardinals (7-7)
- Seattle Seahawks (8-6)
- Los Angeles Chargers (8-6)
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-6)
- Los Angeles Rams (8-6)
- Washington Commanders (9-5)
- Denver Broncos (9-5)
- Baltimore Ravens (9-5)
- Houston Texans (9-5)
- Pittsburgh Steelers (10-4)
- Green Bay Packers (10-4)
- Minnesota Vikings (12-2)
- Buffalo Bills (11-3)
- Philadelphia Eagles (12-2)
- Detroit Lions (12-2)
- Kansas City Chiefs (13-1)
Jets Interview Thomas Dimitroff For GM
Thomas Dimitroff is back on the NFL’s GM radar. After not interviewing for a job during the past three hiring periods, the former Falcons front office boss is in the mix for the Jets’ now-available position.
The Jets announced Monday they interviewed Dimitroff for the job. This marks the team’s first meeting with a candidate. They are set to follow this up with a Jon Robinson interview, and a Louis Riddick meeting is on tap as well. The Jets can interview candidates not employed by teams at any point, but they must wait until divisional-round week to talk with candidates attached to clubs.
[RELATED: Jets Attempted To Arrange Bill Belichick-Woody Johnson Meeting]
Dimitroff served as Atlanta’s GM from 2008-20, overseeing a run of playoff berths during Matt Ryan‘s tenure. Taking over the Falcons in the aftermath of the Michael Vick dogfighting scandal, Dimitroff chose Ryan third overall in his first draft at the helm and built rosters that booked playoff byes in 2010, 2012 and 2016. The ’16 season famously produced a commanding Super Bowl lead that ultimately disappeared during an infamous collapse.
The Falcons fired Dimitroff and HC Dan Quinn in October 2020. The team had journeyed to the playoffs six times during Dimitroff’s tenure, reaching the NFC championship game twice. The first instance featured a narrow loss to the 49ers, the second a dominant win over the Packers during Ryan’s 2016 MVP season. Although the Falcons pushed the Carson Wentz-less Eagles in a narrow 2017 divisional-round loss, they could not keep the momentum they established with the core that blew a 28-3 lead in Super Bowl LI. After back-to-back postseason absences in 2018 and ’19, the Falcons retooled in 2020.
Dimitroff, 58, last interviewed for a GM post in 2021, having met with the Lions about the gig that went to Brad Holmes. Dimitroff had attracted the Falcons’ attention after a run with the Patriots; he was the Pats’ scouting director from 2003-07, collecting two Super Bowl rings. The veteran exec worked in the NFL from 1993-2020 but has not held a position since. GMs receive second chances at a much lower rate than HCs, as only two second-chance GMs — Trent Baalke (Jaguars), Tom Telesco (Raiders) — are currently in place. Woody Johnson did hand his search over to two former GMs (Mike Tannenbaum, Rick Spielman), and Robinson also being on the radar would stand to keep the door open to a second-chance hire.
Although the Dimitroff years produced the most sustained success in Falcons history, his having been out of the NFL for more than four years will probably introduce a high hurdle in his path to this Jets position. The Jets are expected to conduct a thorough search to replace Joe Douglas, and that will surely include several execs currently employed by teams. That will stand to drag this process well into January.
Jets Attempted To Set Up Meeting Between Bill Belichick, Woody Johnson
Taking the job at North Carolina, Bill Belichick is now navigating college football’s transfer portal/NIL landscape that has caused so much instability within the sport. The Tar Heels are pitching to recruits and transfers the prospect of learning an NFL-style program, doing so after Belichick expressed considerable dissatisfaction with his standing within the league as a coaching free agent.
Rather than take another spin on the NFL’s HC carousel, Belichick accepted what amounts to a three-year, $30MM offer from the ACC school. An interesting buyout structure exists in Belichick’s North Carolina contract, dropping a payout from $10MM to $1MM after June 1, 2025. That would open the door to a potential NFL return.
While that buyout structure could conceivably affect players’ interest in coming to Chapel Hill, an NFL door is technically open. Though, Belichick’s age (73 in April) will offer a potential dealbreaker for teams looking to arrange longer-term plans. The 2026 HC carousel figures to produce Belichick rumors, depending on how his first Tar Heels season unfolds, but the 49-year NFL coach did contact at least one team about a 2025 job. Despite Belichick’s issues with the Jets, he reached out to Mike Tannenbaum — his coworker in Cleveland and with the Jets in the 1990s — about the job.
Running the Jets’ search, the former GM took this to the team, Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer notes. This led to the Jets giving it consideration, to the point Breer adds the team attempted to set up a Belichick meeting with owner Woody Johnson. Belichick and Johnson have a frosty history, as it had been long reported the six-time Super Bowl-winning HC would not consider the Jets. Beyond Belichick’s 2000 resignation — which led to a trade agreement with the Patriots — along with the Jets being the team that triggered the NFL’s Spygate investigation (and eventual punishment) and Belichick recently criticizing Johnson’s ownership approach on the Manningcast, this effort reaching the stage it did is rather interesting.
Johnson has taken on an increased role in Jets personnel matters this year, impeding Joe Douglas on a potential Jerry Jeudy trade and Bryce Huff offer while later impacting the team’s situation with Haason Reddick. Belichick being open to working with the owner, who did not yet own the team when Belichick served as Bill Parcells‘ DC in the late 1990s, effectively speaks to his view of the Jets’ roster. The timelines did not matchup, however, as the Jets are at the beginning of what is expected to be a thorough search. With North Carolina needing an answer quickly, Belichick jumped and is skipping the 2025 HC carousel.
Belichick had done increased research on the evolving college game, which has changed significantly during the 2020s. He appears to be in the college ranks due to the control North Carolina has offered and a befuddlement at the NFL’s lack of interest. The league not showing more interest has “perplexed” the legendary coach’s inner circle, Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio notes.
“I think there would’ve been some interest, but in the end, really, it’s not about what could’ve been or would’ve been, it’s about the opportunity at North Carolina,” Belichick said during an appearance on Sirius XM Radio’s Let’s Go! (video link). “I think this program is in the right spot now to take off.”
During his months-long media tour, Belichick and his agent did conduct backchannel communication with NFL owners to gauge interest, per Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz. This occurred during the 2024 HC hiring period as well. Breer adds Belichick did not reach out to every team with a current HC vacancy, meaning either the Saints or Bears — potentially both — were not contacted. Belichick’s camp had viewed Chicago as an interesting destination but expects the NFC North team to hire an offense-oriented HC. At North Carolina, Belichick will oversee the football operation in a way he would not have been allowed to had he returned to the NFL.
The Jets are looking for a new HC-GM combination. Belichick had coached against numerous Jets power structures, working as the Patriots’ de facto GM. The NFL still has coaches operating with final say, but not many. Teams were skeptical Belichick would be able to cede power, even though he had attempted to convince Arthur Blank he was not asking for personnel power. He will have it at North Carolina and try to execute the Patriot Way, or a modified version of it, there in 2025.