The Jacksonville Jaguars could dismiss Doug Pederson after the game against the Detroit Lions if they suffer a lopsided loss. If they do move on from their head coach, one name that's routinely been brought up to replace him is Bill Belichick. While there are several valid reasons the Hoodie could steer the Jags in the right direction, it would only be possible with one massive caveat.
Heading into the Lions game, Josina Anderson broke the news that owner Shad Khan could move on from Pederson, and possibly general manager Trent Baalke if Jacksonville gets blown out.
Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk caught wind of the report and proposed Belichick as a potential replacement for Pederson and Baalke, pointing out that moving on from both would pave the way to bring in the Super Bowl-winning head coach.
"The question becomes whether Khan would fire only coach Doug Pederson or both Pederson and G.M. Trent Baalke. A clean sweep would set the stage for hiring someone like Bill Belichick, who would in theory be given the keys to the car — and perhaps the ability to put the entire band back together, gathering the likes of Josh McDaniels, Matt Patricia, Joe Judge, and Mike Lombardi in one of the weakest divisions in football."
After 24 seasons together, the New England Patriots parted ways with Belichick earlier this year. During his stint, they won six Super Bowls and lost two more, for a total of eight championship appearances. Moreover, he's been one of the most prominent defensive minds in the modern NFL, so the Jaguars could most definitely benefit from bringing in someone with his expertise.
Having said that, giving Belichick full control of personnel decisions would be counterproductive. After all, his questionable drafting over the last 10 years left the Patriots' roster devoid of playmakers. That's precisely why he struggled to rebuild the team once Tom Brady left in 2020; once the talent dried out, New England struggled to win games.
Granted, even in his last season in Foxborough, he put his defensive players in a position to succeed. However, it's hard to tell whether he'll embrace a more modern approach to coaching and giving control of personnel decisions to someone who's actually good at drafting.
It's worth noting that once Belichick became available, there wasn't a huge demand for his services. Apart from the Atlanta Falcons having him in for an interview, no other team with an opening showed legitimate interest in him.
Bill Belichick must make consessions to be the head coach for the Jaguars
If Bill Belichick is willing to work alongside a general manager without meddling, the Jacksonville Jaguars should then consider the possibility of bringing him aboard. On the other hand, owner Shad Khan must also veto his coaching staff.
Belichick has a penchant for working with the likes of Matt Patricia, Bill O'Brien, and Josh McDaniels. While it's a common norm for coaches to collaborate with people they're familiar with, his protegees have left much to be desired once they leave New England.
This is to say that if Belichick wants to be a legitimate candidate for the Jaguars' (potential) opening or any other vacancy, for that matter, in the next hiring cycle, he must show that he can adapt and leave his old ways behind.
In the end, Belichick is one of many options the Jaguars would have if they're in the market for a head coach, but like any other candidate, they must do due diligence. Otherwise, they run the risk of ending up with the worst-possible fit like they did with Urban Meyer back in 2021.