NFC East head coaches officially on high alert with latest Bill Belichick update

To the shock of many football fans and media pundits, Bill Belichick failed to land a head coaching job after parting ways with the New England Patriots. Given that the Belichick won six Super Bowls during his 24 years with the Patriots, it felt like a certainty he'd land one of the seven openings this offseason. Yet, Belichick ended up with none, even despite being considered the favorite for the Atlanta Falcons vacancy.

Now, Belichick is a free agent, but his name will likely come up in next year's coaching carousel when more jobs eventually open up. As it turns out, he has some openings in mind if they were to happen.

In an ESPN report from Don Van Natta Jr., Seth Wickersham, and Jeremy Fowler ($), Belichick is believed to be "biding his time" and told "confidants" that he would be interested in coaching three teams, all in the NFC East -- the Dallas Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles, and New York Giants.

Bill Belichick reportedly interested in coaching Cowboys, Eagles, or Giants

And just like that, three seats in the NFC East may be sizzling. Well, depending on team preference.

The Cowboys were linked to Belichick this offseason, considering he and team owner Jerry Jones were longtime friends. According to the ESPN report, Belichick had told a friend that he liked the idea of "sticking it to the Krafts by working for Jones." Yet, Jones decided to stick with head coach Mike McCarthy, even though the team suffered another early playoff exit. McCarthy is under contract for just the 2024 season.

As for the Eagles, they were listed as a potential match for Belichick. The Eagles reportedly felt that Belichick "still had his fastball." However, there was also a belief that Belichick would be just a two-year option to get to the 15 wins required to be the winningest head coach in NFL history. In fact, team owner Jeffrey Lurie asked a "confidant" if it was worth overhauling the entire building and their philosophy for Belichick, who would be a short-term option.

The Eagles, under head coach Nick Sirianni, saw the team make it to Super Bowl 57 in the 2022 season. But last year, the Eagles had an epic collapse, where they finished the year losing six of their last seven games, including in the Wild Card Round to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, after starting with a 10-1 record. Despite buzz that Sirianni could be shown the door, the Eagles gave him another shot while allowing him to retool his coaching staff.

Then there are the Giants, where Belichick made a name for himself as an assistant coach since 1979, notably leading the Giants' Super Bowl 21 and 25-winning defenses, which included Lawrence Taylor and Carl Banks. Belichick has always spoken highly of his time with the Giants.

The Giants are entering their third year with head coach Brian Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen, both of whom came from the Buffalo Bills. In 2022, the Giants overachieved with their roster and even picked up a playoff win over the Minnesota Vikings. But this past season, the season was overshadowed by poor performances, significant player injuries, and a reported beef with Daboll and now-former defensive coordinator Wink Martindale. The team finished 6-11 and missed out on the playoffs altogether.

While the Giants have put faith in Schoen and Daboll's vision for the Giants, one has to wonder if there is a cutoff point. If the team underperforms again, will Daboll be given a fourth year? Considering that all eyes are going to be on Belichick if the Giants play poorly again.

When it comes to "Belichick Watch" in 2025, the Cowboys, Eagles, and Giants appear to be the teams to watch.