Almost one year after departing New England, Bill Belichick wants back on an NFL sideline.

The Patriots and their former longtime coach and general manager agreed to part ways after the 2023 season. Since, Belichick has worked in media, appearing on seemingly every network and podcast as he tries to stay top-of-mind with the goal of working a whistle — not a microphone — next season.

So the 72-year-old is staying ready.

“Coaching is in his blood. He wants this,” a person close to Belichick told The Athletic over text.

In 24 seasons with the Patriots, Belichick helped deliver six Super Bowl titles, nine conference championships, 17 division crowns and 30 playoff wins. That prosperity earned Belichick the trust of ownership and gave him the authority to operate with little oversight. He wants as much in his next post, but his past freedoms will be hard to come by.

Belichick could be a perfect candidate for a talented team that needs a new voice, as he likely will only coach for a few more years and won’t want to inherit an organization in need of a full rebuild. The Dallas Cowboys have been floated as an obvious fit.

Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones has said numerous times that he won’t hire a GM, and there’s no way he will diminish the role of Will McClay, Jones’ right-hand man. And Belichick might be OK with that power dynamic in Dallas because it’s expected, as it’s been long established.

The Buffalo Bills and Philadelphia Eagles are also suitable options.

GO DEEPER

Scoop City: How the playoff picture could change

There were seven coaching vacancies last offseason, not including the Patriots, and Belichick still wound up without a job. If this coaching cycle isn’t the coaching cycle for Belichick — again — CBS Sports NFL analyst and former NFL coach Bill Cowher could see Belichick have a successful future in the booth.

“I think Bill will go back to coaching. I really do,” Cowher said on The Athletic’s “Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch” this week. “But I also think he’s getting more and more comfortable as a broadcaster.

“I think Bill’s got the bug. But he’s getting better and better as a broadcaster and he’s getting plenty of practice. He’s on every different platform! Practice is not a problem with Bill.”

Required reading

(Photo: Christian Petersen / Getty Images)