Bill Belichick turned down offer to transform a Super Bowl contender into a champion

Fact: Bill Belichick is only interested in winning Super Bowls, not getting to them and then proceeding to lose them. Despite Kyle Shanahan supposedly reaching out and offering him a role to do whatever he wanted on the San Francisco 49ers, Belichick wisely passed on the opportunity. This is because, for whatever reason, Shanahan cowers in fear during the most critical moments of the biggest game.

Shanahan did it with my Atlanta Falcons to Belichick's former employer in the New England Patriots nearly a decade ago. Since leaving my beloved Dirty Birds in the dust, Shanahan has since left 49ers fans out to dry with two utterly crap-tastic fourth quarters vs. Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs. I understand that Shanahan respects Belichick, but I wouldn't want to go work for him either.

In a way, it is kind of insulting to think that Belichick would willingly take a non-head-coaching role in the NFL at this stage of his career. He is meant to lead teams to championships, not be the guy who cleans up after you after you make your latest mess on the floor. Yes, Belichick to the 49ers would have made them unstoppable, but I could have sensed a coup brewing over in the Bay Area.

Belichick is a man of class and politely told an increasingly desperate Shanahan that he is all good.

You can listen more on this episode of The TK Show with Tim Kawakami, who spoke to Shanahan.

There is another huge component we are unfortunately missing in all of this alleged 49ers' courtship.

Kyle Shanahan offered Bill Belichick a job on his San Francisco 49ers staff

Once the initial shock of Belichick no longer leading the Patriots finally wears off, I suspect he will be one of the better head-coaching candidates out there to be had in the 2025 hiring cycle. Along with offensive minds like Ben Johnson, Todd Monken and Bobby Slowik, you would have to say Belichick would be on the shortlist if getting one of five-to-eight head-coaching positions that will be opening.

If you were to look around the league at a handful of places that could conceivably open up, I would say fellow NFC contenders like the Dallas Cowboys and the Philadelphia Eagles are near the top of the list. What if Matt LaFleur disappoints in the postseason again? Could this be it for Robert Saleh in New York after this season? The point is Belichick going to San Francisco gives him intel on the 49ers.

No, this isn't like guys such as Saleh, Mike McDaniel or DeMeco Ryans getting jobs they earned on their way up the coaching profession. Shanahan would be using the Nick Saban method to rehabbing coaches but for only one year in Belichick's case. You don't want to let a fox into the hen house. It may be the case for the especially cunning Belichick, who has not been this desperate since ... Cleveland.

It would have been cool if it happened, but for many reasons, Belichick was never going to the 49ers.