Belichick dodges question on 49ers coaching offer but lauds Shanahan

Belichick dodges question on 49ers coaching offer but lauds Shanahan originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Bill Belichick is known as arguably the greatest football coach of all time.

More than that, he’s also a Hall of Famer when it comes to deflecting interview questions.

He again showcased that greatness Monday in his comments about Kyle Shanahan’s quest to bring Belichick onto the 49ers’ coaching staff this offseason.

Last month, Shanahan revealed that the former New England Patriots head coach declined San Francisco’s open-ended offer.

During an appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show,” Belichick was asked about Shanahan’s recent statement, but the notoriously reserved coach declined to share any juicy details.

“I appreciate the question, [but] I’m just going to keep all of those conversations that I had between any other coaches, teams, whatever — we keep those private,” Belichick responded.

Instead, he chose to compliment Shanahan and his father, Mike, another longtime NFL coach and winner of multiple Super Bowls.

“Kyle is great. … I have a ton of respect for him, his dad and the way they have coached the game, what they’ve done for the game,” Belichick touted. “I love Kyle and Mike Shanahan. I think they do a tremendous job.

“I’ll just leave our personal relationship aside on that one, but I study them a lot. I’ve learned a lot from both Kyle and Mike. They’re great coaches, and their teams are very competitive.”

It’s not quite the same as the distinction of bringing him onto your staff, but it surely is humbling for Shanahan to receive that kind of praise from a coach of Belichick’s caliber. After all, Belichick would know as well as anyone, as Shanahan’s Atlanta Falcons had an infamous 28-3 lead over the Patriots in Super Bowl LI.

At the same time, fans can only help but imagine a world in which these two lauded football minds were on the same coaching staff — and how close it came to being a reality.

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Author : NBC Sports BayArea

Publish date : 2024-08-13 02:13:42

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