What Ted Johnson thinks about the latest Bill Belichick rumor
Could Bill Belichick contemplate retirement in the very near future? Ted Johnson was in with Zolak & Bertrand on Thursday and shared his theory about NBC Sports analyst Chris Simms’ belief that Bill Belichick only has “a year or two” left as head coach of the New England Patriots. Find out what Ted thinks the real meaning is behind the latest report about the future of Bill Belichick in the NFL as he chases the wins record.
GLENDALE, ARIZONA – DECEMBER 12: Head coach Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots looks on prior to the game against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium on December 12, 2022 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
“I think it’s a preemptive strike”
“I think he talks to Bill. I think that was a preemptive strike from Coach Belichick to to Chris Simms to get that out there. That question, it just seems it was like it was teed up for for Chris. He knew exactly where he wanted to go. I think Bill wants that out there. So just in case things go bad, he has some cover. ‘Don Shula, whatever the record. Look at my six rings, though.’ That’s that’s so how Bill would think. And so for Chris Simms to say that to me, that’s clearly coming from from Bill’s side. And I think it’s a preemptive strike to some degree in case things go bad this year, that it’s like, ‘yeah, you know, I was going to retire after this year anyway. You know, it would have been nice to beat Shula’s record, but whatever.’ I just I think that was more from Bill. I think it was preemptive. And I think it shows you a little bit that Bill, I’ll be honest, is nervous. I think he’s a little bit nervous how this thing is going to shake down.”
More from Ted Johnson with Zolak and Bertrand on the future of Bill Belichick:
Opposing players Bill Belichick has fallen in love with over the years
3. George Kittle – TE
Tight end George Kittle of the San Francisco 49ers runs with the football against the Arizona Cardinals during the first half of the NFL game at State Farm Stadium on October 31, 2019 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
Belichick: “Kittle is a great player. He does everything well. I’d put him right at the top of the league there, period. His ability to run, catch, get open, after the catch, block, he does everything at a high level. He’s as good as anybody that I’ve coached or as good as anybody that we’ve played against.” – ESPN, 10/19/20
5. Larry Fitzgerald, WR
GLENDALE, ARIZONA – DECEMBER 26: Wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald #11 of the Arizona Cardinals makes a reception against the San Francisco 49ers during the NFL game at State Farm Stadium on December 26, 2020 in Glendale, Arizona. The 49ers defeated the Cardinals 20-12. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
Belichick: “He works extremely hard. He’s very knowledgeable in all phases of the game, but particularly the passing game and techniques, training, fundamentals. He’s, I would say, to receivers what Peyton Manning was to quarterbacks in terms of that type of total obsession of knowing everything about the position and how to do things and how to convey those to his teammates… he’s a tremendous player and he’s had a tremendous career. I don’t know how you could do much more than what he’s done for the amount of time that he’s done it in. He’s had tremendous durability and production.” – NBC Sports Boston, 10/16/15
6. Jason Witten, TE
ARLINGTON, TX – OCTOBER 30: Jason Witten #82 of the Dallas Cowboys celebrates after scoring the game winning touchdown against the Philadelphia Eagles in overtime at AT&T Stadium on October 30, 2016 in Arlington, Texas. The Dallas Cowboys beat the Philadelphia Eagles 29-23 in overtime. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images
Belichick: “The fact that he’s there every week and he plays good, whether it’s in the running game, the passing game, he’s a solid all-around player, one of the premier tight ends in the league… He comes up big in big situations, does a great job for them in the running game and makes big and clutch plays for them in the passing game. They obviously have a lot of confidence in him. Both quarterbacks look for him in critical situations, as they have for years. The fact that he’s there all the time, has been there throughout his career, his durability has been remarkable.” – NBC Sports Boston, 11/25/20
7. Aaron Rodgers – QB
DETROIT, MICHIGAN – NOVEMBER 06: Aaron Rodgers #12 of the Green Bay Packers looks on in the first half of a game against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on November 06, 2022 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images)
Belichick: “I don’t think anybody is any better than Aaron Rodgers through the years.. End of games, two-minute, four-minute, four-minute ahead, two-minute behind, all those situations. One play type situations, cadence. He just takes situational football to a much higher level. We always study them and of course, we face them. We’re dealing with all the things that we studied and watched him and the Packers do going back to when Mike (McCarthy) was there. Of course now with coach (Matt) LaFleur, but it just continues to be very impressive.” – NESN, 9/30/22
