Bill Belichick appeared to leave no stone unturned in his critique of the Falcons on Monday night.
During his second appearance on ESPN’s “ManningCast,” the former Patriots coach not only called out Atlanta’s miscues against the Eagles, but threw other digs at the franchise he interviewed with earlier this year following his departure from New England after 24 seasons.
When Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts evaded Falcons defenders for a first down in the second quarter, Peyton Manning asked Belichick, “Is that not playing in the preseason, not tackling enough?” to which the eight-time Super Bowl winner replied, “It’s the same issue last week, they didn’t tackle very well against Pittsburgh,” referencing the Week 1 loss.
The Falcons are currently in their first season under Raheem Morris, whom the team hired after Belichick initially appeared to be the frontrunner in an extensive coaching search.
Elsewhere on the broadcast, Belichick, 72, strolled down memory lane at Falcons owner Arthur Blank’s expense, reflecting on premature celebrations in Super Bowl 2017, when Atlanta infamously blew a 28-3 lead to the Patriots.
“I remember Blank down on the sideline in the fourth quarter celebrating when they were ahead,” Belichick recalled as Eli and Peyton Manning laughed.
“… He’s a pretty good dresser, Arthur always looks sharp but he was down there on the sideline and we were getting beat and I was like, Jesus.”
The Patriots rallied back to tie it up at 28-28 in regulation before sealing the game in overtime, 34-28.
Belichick — who is embracing his analyst role this season after missing out on a head coaching job — also referenced the Falcons’ tampering saga during this year’s free agency period.
He likened new Falcons receiver Darnell Mooney to “one of those free agents they signed illegally” when the former Bears wideout was brought up, according to Awful Announcing.
Atlanta was stripped of a 2025 fifth-round draft pick in June for violating the NFL’s tampering policy for “improper contact” with Mooney, tight end Charlie Woerner and $180 million quarterback Kirk Cousins, who helped lead Atlanta to a thrilling 22-21 win over the Eagles in Philadelphia on Monday night.
Although there is still plenty of football to be played this season, Belichick has thought ahead to 2025 and “would like to return to coaching,” according to ESPN, which noted he “is expected to be choosy if and when he returns to the sideline.”
Julian Edelman, a former Patriots receiver who played for Belichick, suggested the Giants could be “enticing” in the position opens up.
The Giants are 0-2 to start the season in coach Brian Daboll’s third year at the helm.