National Football League

Kyle Shanahan confirms Bill Belichick turned down offer to join 49ers coaching staff

Published Jul. 23, 2024 10:49 p.m. ET

Former New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick did receive an offer to join the staff of the defending NFC champion and Super Bowl runner-up San Francisco 49ers last spring, 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan confirmed in a recent interview.

On the latest episode of "The TK Show" podcast, Shanahan shared the details of the proposal he threw out to Belichick earlier this year after the latter left New England. Shanahan explained to host Tim Kawakami that he did not really include any conditions to his offer because of how much the San Francisco coach admires the 72-year-old six-time Super Bowl champion.

"I did. I threw it out to him. He loves football so much that you never know. … I threw it all out to him, like whatever he’d want to do," Shanahan said.

Belichick and the Patriots parted ways in January, ending his 24-year tenure there that included six titles, but only one playoff appearance and zero wins since Tom Brady's departure in 2020.

Belichick still reportedly wants to coach, and interviewed for the Atlanta Falcons' job before the team brought back former interim coach Raheem Morris instead. In early March, a report from the San Francisco Chronicle indicated Shanahan did in fact call Belichick when searching for a new defensive coordinator for the 49ers.

At the time of the rumor in early March, the 49ers had just former defensive coordinator Steve Wilks, who departed the team after their 25-22 overtime loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl. Shanahan told Kawakami that Belichick politely declined the opportunity to help one of the NFL's most talented defenses.

"I was like, would you be interested? He was very nice and appreciative, but he politely turned me down," Shanahan continued.

Instead, Shanahan wound up promoting defensive passing game specialist Nick Sorensen to defensive coordinator and brought in former Los Angeles Chargers head coach Brandon Staley as assistant head coach for the defense.

But while Belichick will not be leading an NFL team in 2024 — something Shanahan told Kawakami he cannot believe — the 49ers coach is still holding out hope that Belichick will return to the sidelines in the near future.

"I’m sure he’s going to be back in the league next year. He’s the best, and I just like talking to him," Shanahan said.

Belichick is instead pursuing media ventures, including with the CW's "Inside the NFL," for the 2024 NFL season.

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