The LA Chargers and New England Patriots have had completely different seasons but find themselves in the same boat. Both teams were AFC playoff hopefuls this season and now, with four games remaining in the season, both teams are out of the hunt.
New England has officially been eliminated from the playoffs and for the Chargers it is just a matter of time. A 5-8 record with no Justin Herbert guarantees that the Bolts are not going to make the playoffs alongside the Patriots.
Both teams may look to switch things up after the season. The Chargers may part ways with Brandon Staley (and GM Tom Telesco) while the Patriots are likely going to draft a franchise quarterback in the 2024 NFL Draft.
But that might not be the only change for the Patriots. According to NBC Sports Boston's Tom Curran, Patriots owner Robert Kraft already made the decision to part ways with Bill Belichick after the 2023 season. In a fitting way, this ties the two teams together as Belichick has already been tied to the Chargers in the NFL rumor mill this season.
Tom Curran reports the Patriots decided to part ways with Belichick following their loss to the Colts. 😱 pic.twitter.com/P7mW9Wir57
— theScore (@theScore) December 13, 2023
Odds of Bill Belichick coaching the Chargers jump exponentially after latest NFL rumors
If Bill Belichick is indeed let go by the Patriots and he wanted to continue coaching it is hard to find a franchise that would be better to coach than the Chargers. There has been some speculation about him coaching the Washington Commanders, but why would Belichick want to leave the Pats for a team that is arguably worse off for the future?
The Chargers have the golden carrot that is Justin Herbert. Belichick could theoretically come to LA, fix all of the operational mistakes (and the defense) that Staley has created and let a smart offensive mind guide Herbert. Just like with Tom Brady, it could be the perfect marriage to end Belichick's career.
Plus, Belichick is someone who has had roster control in the past. He has not been great as a GM but that might be a selling point for him if he was to switch teams. If Telesco is fired then Belichick will also be able to have a big say on the football operations alongside John Spanos.
There are two potential hang-ups that Chargers fans should be cognizant of. The first is the fact that the team would have to trade draft capital and pay Belichick a big salary. Sean Payton was never a real option for LA for those reasons and there is a chance that Belichick won't be either.
The other hang-up is the possibility that Belichick is simply a legacy name at this point. New England hasn't just struggled because of Mac Jones since Brady left. The coaching staff has been a disaster, and the roster construction (at least offensively) has been a joke. Sure, he is Bill Belichick, but are we really sure he is the same guy?
Those are questions that the Chargers are going to have to ask themselves if Belichick is actually available to be hired. And based on this latest report, it looks like he will be.