Bill Belichick power rankings: Ranking 5 best destinations for Hall-of-Fame coach

3. Seattle Seahawks

The Legion of Boom. The 12th man. If Belichick wants to inherit another storied franchise with a dedicated fanbase, the Seattle Seahawks are his best bet. He could view Seattle's tradition of elite defense as a positive. Pete Caroll left the team in good shape. While Seattle might prefer a younger coach to replace their own legend, Belichick has too much winning experience to ignore.

Seattle went 9-8 last season, falling just shy of the postseason. In fact, no team is closer to contention on paper. The Seahawks have their quarterback in Geno Smith, as well as a strong collection of supportive talent — D.K. Metcalf, Tyler Lockett, Kenneth Walker III, and so forth.

Belichick could embrace the challenge of rebuilding the Seahawks' 30th-ranked defense. With perennial Pro Bowl LB Bobby Wagner as the foundation (assuming he re-signs), Seattle could aim to return to its roots under one of the most successful defensive head coaches of all time.

Despite Belichick's ongoing commitment to the curmudgeon bit, Seattle is a raucous environment to play in. Belichick would garner the vocal support of the NFL's most boisterous fanbase, as well as an ownership group that has offered complete personnel control to the GM. That is also a potential hurdle, but Belichick was open to stepping away from GM duties in New England. If he submits to John Schneider's guidance with the Seahawks roster, Belichick could find renewed success in a place where it will be widely celebrated.