Analyst Explains How Patriots Could ‘Play Hardball’ With Bill Belichick

It seems Bill Belichick is destined to land another head-coaching job in 2025, and when he does, his former employer could potentially make things a bit uncomfortable for him.

According to Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio, had Belichick landed a new gig this year, the Patriots could have weaseled their way into the salary negotiations between the 72-year-old.

“If the Patriots want to play hardball with Belichick (and there’s no obvious reason to think they do), they could try to argue that they should be entitled to a partial offset for whatever Belichick is due to make this year while not coaching the Patriots,” Florio wrote .

“If he’d taken the job, they would have gotten the offset. By not taking the job, the Patriots could claim they should still get the credit. It probably won’t come to that. The situation between the Patriots and Belichick has already been awkward. That kind of effort would turn it into a full-blown debacle.”

The parting of ways between Belichick and the Patriots reached a very difficult and very public end back in mid-January. It was clear neither he nor owner Robert Kraft had any interest in maintaining a relationship other than that of employer-employee, which made their news conference to announce the mutual parting of ways a cringeworthy watch.

New England is well into its post-Belichick era, and drumming up any potential conflict with him would be a great disservice to first-year head coach Jerod Mayo.

Related: Ex-Patriots Coach Bill Belichick Turned Down Offer To Join Super Bowl Contender

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