The NFL offseason head-coaching hiring cycle concluded on Thursday with former New England Patriots lead man Bill Belichick being left without a gig.
Baltimore Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey didn't take long to jump at a chance to criticize the six-time Super Bowl champion.
The “ greatest coach of All time” did not get hired out of 6 Head Coaching jobs open . I think that debate can be put to rest now.
— marlonhumphrey.eth (@marlon_humphrey) February 1, 2024
This isn't the first time that the three-time Pro Bowler has called Belichick's greatness into question.
During a September 2023 episode of the "Punch Line Podcast," Humphrey sided with three-time MVP quarterback Tom Brady in the longstanding debate of whether he or Belichick was more responsible for the Patriots dynasty.
"Is Belichick elite or is Tom Brady elite? That's the million-dollar question," the defensive back said. "It's looking more like Brady, but it is what it is."
“I don’t know if Belichick was ever daggum dirty," Humphrey added, questioning whether the three-time AP Coach of the Year was ever an all-time great leader.
The 2017 first-round pick was widely mocked on social media following his post on Thursday.
Would Tom Brady get a starting job at age 71? Worry about Lamar throwing into quadruple coverage with the game on the line.... https://t.co/E2F1mJHrun
— Dave Portnoy (@stoolpresidente) February 1, 2024
Belichick did not want to coach the Carolina Panthers. Throw his 8 rings in the garbage. https://t.co/tmuDq4Dm2A
— Wildes (@kevinwildes) February 1, 2024
Belichick and the Patriots mutually agreed to part ways on Jan. 11.
The team hired former All-Pro linebacker Jerod Mayo as its new head coach on Jan. 12. Mayo spent his entire playing career in New England and had been the team's inside linebackers coach since 2019.
Belichick finished his tenure with the franchise with a regular season record of 266-121 in 24 seasons and 30-12 mark in the playoffs (6-3 in the Super Bowl).
He went 219-64 in the 20 seasons with Brady as his quarterback and all six of his Super Bowl titles came with TB12 under center. Belichick was just 84-103 in his coaching career without Brady, however, including a 29-38 record after the 15-time Pro Bowler left for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers ahead of the 2020 campaign.
The 2023 season was particularly rough.
The Patriots missed the playoffs for the second straight year and finished in last place in the AFC East at 4-13 for their worst record since 2000. That was Belichick's first year at the helm and Brady was a rookie, still one season away from taking over as the starting quarterback.
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