NFL Rumors: Latest on Bill Belichick, Jim Harbaugh, Raiders' Maxx Crosby Trade Buzz
Bill Belichick and Jim Harbaugh are two of the most celebrated head coaches of their generation but early in 2024, their futures are far from clear, for two very different reasons.
Belichick is arguably the greatest to ever do his job but after three consecutive sub-par seasons, he finds himself out of New England and looking for a new team to build into a dynasty.
Harbaugh is fresh off his first College Football Playoff National Championship win with the Michigan Wolverines and is the hottest coaching candidate in the NFL, with potential suitors out west.
Should either coach wind up coaching the Las Vegas Raiders over Antonio Pierce, the organization will reportedly have to find a trade partner for one of their most talented defensive players.
Dive deeper into these topics, and the rumors and innuendo that spawned them, with the latest from league insiders.
Los Angeles Chargers to Talk to Jim Harbaugh
1 of 3
Jim Harbaugh finally captured the elusive College Football Playoff National Championship with his Michigan Wolverines, but the head coach has unfinished business in the NFL and may be looking to take his knowledge and expertise back to the league in which he last coached in 2014.
Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport of NFL Media reported, "Sources say it's believed the Chargers will speak next week with Harbaugh, who has indicated to associates there's a real possibility he could leave the University of Michigan to become Los Angeles' head coach."
Harbaugh has previous success in the NFL, with a 49-22 record as head coach in the league, a 5-3 record in the postseason, an NFC Championship, and a Super Bowl appearance in 2013, all with the San Francisco 49ers.
In Los Angeles, he would inherit an underachieving Chargers squad with a franchise quarterback in Justin Herbert, All-Pro safety in Derwin James, and Pro Bowl wide receiver Keenan Allen.
Even with those stars, though, the team has failed to be the consistent contender that fans and analysts have expected for the last four seasons. Last season, they made the playoffs but were embarrassed, giving up a 27-0 lead before losing to Jacksonville, 31-30.
How much of that was coaching remains to be seen but it does beg the question: do the Chargers have enough pieces for Harbaugh to build the team around, in a relatively short period?
After all, he left the 49ers after just four seasons, opting to return to the college game and chase a national title.
Chargers, Atlanta Falcons in Play for Bill Belichick
2 of 3
Bill Belichick finds himself in a position he has not been in since before the 2000 season when he signed with the New England Patriots: in need of a job.
With that organization, he would win six Super Bowls, accumulate a 333-178 record, and establish himself as, arguably, the greatest head coach in professional football history.
Along with quarterback Tom Brady, they forged what may prove to be the last dynasty of its type, a dominant run over two decades unlikely to be seen again.
It was the 47-57 record without Brady in New England, including an abysmal 4-13 record in 2024, that led to Belichick and Pats owner Robert Kraft parting ways and the legendary coach seeking to continue his Hall of Fame career elsewhere.
ESPN's Dan Graziano reported that the Atlanta Falcons and Washington Commanders are teams discussed as most likely to land the coach.
The Falcons have a great young core of skill players, including running backs Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier, and wide receiver Drake London, but questions at quarterback surrounding Desmond Ridder have him in a similar situation as he was in New England.
Ditto Washington, where uncertainty about Sam Howell's status as a legitimate starter in the league will dominate offseason headlines.
Both of those situations come with risks for Belichick, who has yet to prove he can develop a quarterback not named Brady. The whispers about how much of the Patriots' success was his and how much was his star quarterback will only grow louder should the struggles continue in a new setting.
Maxx Crosby to Request a Trade Pending Raiders Coaching Decision
3 of 3
Maxx Crosby ranks sixth in the NFL since 2019 with 52 sacks, behind only TJ Watt, Miles Garrett, Trey Hendrickson, and Nick Bosa in that span.
He has been one of the best defensive players in the league over the last five seasons and a force of nature at the defensive end position. He has also emerged as a leader on the Raiders and has made it clear he wants to play for Antonio Pierce, who finished the season as the interim head coach for the team.
So much so that he will request a trade if Pierce is not named head coach, as Pelissero and Rapoport reported.
Crosby left no question about his support for the former linebacker.
"When you have the right culture, a guy like A.P. that embraces the history of the Raiders, it's special. ... A ton of legends [visit] consistently because the amount of respect they have for him. So it makes you, as a player, want to go out there and show who you are. You know what I mean? You want to be at that level one day," he told reporters after the season finale.
Pierce finished 5-4 with the Raiders but it was his 3-1 record in the AFC West that raised eyebrows and made him a candidate for head coaching positions this offseason.
Star wide receiver Davante Adams also expressed his desire to see his coach get the gig full-time. "It's obviously who I wanted, and he's my vote. I've been vocal about that, and that's basically how the whole locker room feels, and with good reason. He's come in and done a great job."
Losing Crosby would create a huge void on the defense and likely generate frustration and disappointment among fans, who know how valuable he has been to the team.
Luckily, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter, Pierce is the favorite to land the job.
.png?w=256)
.png?w=480)
.jpg?w=480 "Cowboys Pickens Football")
.jpg?w=600 "Raw Results & Grades 🔠")
.png?w=600 "NBA Fans Rip Pistons After Magic Go Up 3-1")
