Belichick showing Jets live on TV further proves he won’t be coaching there

Belichick firing Jets on live TV further proves he won’t coach there originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

We understand why Bill Belichick was suggested as a head coach candidate for the New York Jets after they fired Robert Saleh. Belichick is the most decorated coach on the free agent market, and perhaps he would relish the opportunity to beat the team that fired him while he was in the AFC East.

But if Belichick has any disdain for the New England Patriots after his departure in January, it pales in comparison to his disdain for the Jets.

Exhibit A: Belichick’s comments on ESPN ManningCast during Monday night’s game between the Jets and Buffalo Bills. Here’s the former Patriots coach reacting to a pair of Jets penalties late in the second quarter:

“I’m not a big Jets fan, in case you can’t tell. I like Fireman Ed, but that’s it. Coach Saleh has done a good job with that program. He brought a culture, a level of toughness and competitiveness with … A little bit of a slow start, but I thought Coach Saleh did a really good job with this team, and they’re probably not that far away from winning.”

Peyton Manning tried to gently steer the conversation in a different direction, but Belichick wasn’t done yet, calling out Jets owner Woody Johnson for what he clearly felt was a premature decision to fire Saleh.

“That’s kind of what it’s been there with the Jets,” Belichick added. “They’ve barely gained more than 30 percent in the last 10 years. The owner is the owner, just ready, shoot, aim.”

Do you think Belichick would talk about his future employer like that?

For context, Belichick actually spent three seasons with the Jets as their defensive coordinator from 1997 to 1999 and would become New York’s head coach when Bill Parcells resigned after the 1999 season. But Belichick famously resigned the day after taking the job to take over as head coach of the Patriots, and perhaps not coincidentally, his departure occurred when Johnson took ownership of the team in January 2000.

The Jets have won just 43.2 percent of their games since Johnson took over (and 34 percent of their games over the last ten seasons, as Belichick noted) with just six postseason appearances in 24 years. The problem appears to start at the top with Johnson, who reportedly made the decision to fire Saleh after being disappointed with the team’s performance in Week 5 in London.

And as long as Johnson leads the Jets, it sounds like you won’t see Belichick on their sidelines.

“He walked away from the Jets and Woody Johnson 24 years ago,” our Patriots Insider Tom E. Curran recently said of Belichick on Arbella early edition. “He’s not going back to that organization, and I think he despises them to the core of his being.”

That became apparent on Monday evening.