The 2024 NFL coaching cycle will be defined by who wasn’t hired.
Bill Belichick, Pete Carroll, Mike Vrabel and Ben Johnson were all available this cycle and none of them left with a head-coaching job.
That’s a pair of legendary coaches, one of the most respected names in the sport and the hottest coordinator in the NFL.
But when the Commanders chose Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn as their next head coach Thursday, that closed the NFL’s coaching carousel for this offseason — barring an unexpected firing or Andy Reid retiring after Super Bowl 2024.
Belichick was the most surprising omission after winning six Super Bowls with the Patriots over 24 seasons.
The 71-year-old only interviewed with the Falcons — and seemed the odds-on favorite to replace Arthur Smith in Atlanta.
However, after Belichick interviewed twice, the momentum toward a partnership petered out and a week later the Falcons hired Rams defensive coordinator and former Buccaneers coach Raheem Morris.
“Sometimes teams get in the way of themselves and don’t make rational decisions,” ESPN’s Adam Schefter opined about Belichick on “Get Up” on Jan. 25 — hours before the Falcons chose Morris.
“Here we have the greatest coach of all time, who is sitting there with a lack of interest, which again boggles my mind. Teams are worried about maybe his age, his lack of success with New England recently, what he would want to do with that organization. But to me he is still Bill Belichick and you put him on a team and that team is off to the races in the right direction. But that’s not the way teams in this cycle are viewing it.”
It remains unclear — Did he want too much power? Was he too worried about the media? — why Belichick was unappealing to the five other teams with openings.
While Belichick’s split with the Patriots was somewhat anticipated, Vrabel being axed by the Titans took the NFL world by surprise.
Vrabel finished his time in Tennessee with back-to-back losing seasons, but that was after three straight trips to playoffs and a 41-21 record in his first four years.
Vrabel, 48, interviewed with the Chargers and Falcons and was set to meet with the Panthers before Carolina hired Buccaneers offensive coordinator Dave Canales.
One NFL executive told Fox Sports it was “a real mystery” why Vrabel was not generating more interest around the league.
Meanwhile, Canales’ hiring — after one year as a coordinator — was perhaps the most surprising of the coaching cycle.
Carroll, 72, sounded open to another head coaching opportunity after his bittersweet split with the Seahawks.
However, there seemed to be little momentum for him this coaching cycle and he did not interview with another franchise.
Johnson informed the Seahawks and Commanders — who were literally on there way to meet with him — that he would be staying on as the Lions offensive coordinator on Tuesday.
Fox analyst Mark Schlereth told 710 Seattle Sports that he had recently talked to Johnson, who relayed that he planned to be selective and the Chargers were the only place he really wanted to go.
That job, though, went to the only big-name coach available who was hired as an NFL head coach, with Jim Harbaugh being hired in Los Angeles for a reported five years and $80 million.
Johnson’s decision opened the door for Quinn to replace Ron Rivera in Washington.
The Commanders interviewed offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, among other candidates, but the risk he took in leaving Kansas City for Washington has not immediately paid off.
The other hirings were Jerod Mayo being promoted with the Patriots, Ravens defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald getting the Seahawks job, Bengals offensive coordinator Brian Callahan replacing Vrabel with the Titans and Antonio Pierce having the interim label removed with the Raiders.
Belichick and Vrabel now hang over the 2024 season, sure to be the catalyst for any hot seats that need warming.