Former MVP has idea for Bill Belichick amid Giants turmoil

One-time NFL Most Valuable Player and current CBS Sports analyst Boomer Esiason is the latest noteworthy individual to suggest that Bill Belichick could take a year off from coaching before returning to the NFL sidelines in 2025.

"What’s wrong with taking a year off? Why do we have to go jumping headfirst back into something?" Esiason asked during Tuesday's edition of the WFAN "Boomer and Gio" program, per Ryan Chichester of Audacy.

Richard Deitsch of The Athletic, New England Patriots insider Tom E. Curran of NBC Sports Boston and legendary play-by-play announcer Al Michaels are among members of the NFL community who previously mentioned that Belichick could spend a season serving as a studio or in-game analyst for a network such as CBS, NBC or Fox even though the 71-year-old is only 15 wins away from setting a new NFL record for career victories earned by a head coach (regular season and postseason combined). 

Such takes were offered before the Atlanta Falcons became the only team, as of Jan. 23, to meet with the six-time Super Bowl champion head coach this winter and before Josh Kendall of The Athletic reported Tuesday that Atlanta is not embracing a "Belichick or bust" mentality. 

As for what Belichick could do after the 2024 campaign, Esiason noted that the New York Giants could have a head-coaching vacancy next winter after Brian Daboll's relationships with defensive coordinator Don "Wink" Martindale and offensive coordinator Mike Kafka reportedly deteriorated throughout this past season. The Giants and Martindale "mutually" agreed to part ways after Week 18, and Kafka could soon leave the organization even if he doesn't receive a head-coaching gig. 

Belichick earned his first two career Super Bowl rings serving as an assistant and later, as defensive coordinator with the Giants from 1979 through the 1990 season. 

"If he doesn’t get the Atlanta job, there will be five or six jobs open next year," Esiason added about Belichick. "It could include a New York team. I don’t see him ever coming to the Jets…but I could definitely see him coming to the Giants if the Giants don’t go and turn things around."

For a piece published on Jan. 11, Giants beat reporter Paul Schwartz of the New York Post wrote that "the Giants maintain a good relationship with Belichick and Belichick holds the Giants in high regard." If Atlanta goes in a different direction this offseason and Belichick doesn't want to accept just any job to remain in the league, he could wait things out to see if Giants co-owner John Mara would part ways with Daboll next January after Big Blue went 6-11 this season.