San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan recently said he offered former New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick a spot on his staff after Belichick left the Patriots. Shanahan shared this during an interview on The Athletic’s podcast, The TK Show. However, Belichick politely turned down the offer and decided not to join the 49ers.
During the interview, Shanahan discussed his admiration for Belichick’s football acumen and his desire to have someone of Belichick’s caliber on his team.
Shanahan mentioned that he offered Belichick the freedom to choose any role he wanted within the organization, recognizing Belichick’s deep passion for the sport. However, Belichick’s response was a polite refusal, indicating his decision to take a break from coaching for the time being.
Belichick, who was previously in consideration for the Atlanta Falcons head coaching position before it was awarded to Raheem Morris, has decided to spend this year away from coaching duties. Instead, he will be appearing on the show Inside the NFL.
Shanahan expressed surprise at Belichick’s current lack of a head coaching position, noting that if he were an NFL team owner, he would have secured Belichick’s services immediately.
Additionally, Shanahan mentioned that Belichick is currently assisting his son, Stephen Belichick, who has taken on the role of defensive coordinator at the University of Washington under new head coach Jedd Fisch.
This indicates that while Belichick is not coaching in the NFL this year, he remains actively involved in the football world through his support of his son’s coaching career.
In the meantime, the 49ers have addressed their defensive coordinator vacancy by promoting Nick Sorensen, who previously served as the team’s defensive passing game and nickel cornerbacks coach. Shanahan remains hopeful that Belichick will return to the NFL next year and hinted at the possibility of competing against him, potentially in the NFC West.
