Curran: Why Belichick joins the Jets will ‘never’ happen

Curran: Why Belichick will ‘never’ join the Jets originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The storyline is too enticing to ignore.

The New York Jets, after shockingly firing head coach Robert Saleh following a 2-3 start to the 2024 season, are turning to their old AFC East foe in Bill Belichick, who is leading a resurgence in Gotham and may keep it going the New England Patriots team that fired him in January.

It would make for great entertainment, but it’s completely unrealistic, says Patriots Insider Tom E. Curran.

While reacting to Saleh’s dismissal on Tuesday Arbella early editionCurran explained why Belichick is highly unlikely to join the Jets, especially due to the presence of team owner Woody Johnson.

“I wholeheartedly agree that the Cowboys would be the most fascinating (destination for Belichick),” Curran said, as seen in the video above. “If we’re talking about the Jets, he’ll never work for an owner with boobs like that. Never. Jerry Jones has the breasts, but he is a respected individual. Woody Johnson is not a respected individual.”

Belichick also has a history with the Jets: He spent three seasons as New York’s defensive coordinator and assistant head coach from 1997 to 1999 and would succeed Bill Parcells as the franchise’s next head coach in 2000. But in a stunning turn of events, Belichick resigned the day after he was hired in January 2000 — the same month Johnson purchased the franchise — and joined the Patriots later that month.

Seven years later, it was the Jets and then-head coach Eric Mangini (a former Belichick assistant) who alleged that the Patriots were illegally filming their defensive signals, causing the scandal known as Spygate.

In other words, Belichick’s disdain for the Jets runs so deep that he probably wouldn’t return to the franchise under any circumstances, Curran believes.

“He walked away from the Jets and Woody Johnson 24 years ago,” Curran said. “He’s not going back to that organization, and I think he hates them to the core of his being. But the Cowboys would be fun.”

Belichick may also prefer to take on a head coaching job this offseason with a clean slate, rather than taking on a role midseason without one of his favorite assistants. And there should be plenty of tempting openings in 2025, especially if teams like Dallas and the Philadelphia Eagles don’t live up to expectations.

So as much as Belichick admires Aaron Rodgers and may relish the opportunity to coach against the Patriots, the thought of him in a green Jets hoodie seems like a dream at this point.