Analyst says two fan bases don't want Patriots' Bill Belichick

Former New England Patriots offensive lineman and current NFL analyst Ross Tucker goes "on different radio stations all over the country" and said during the latest edition of the "Eye on Foxborough" podcast that fans of the Carolina Panthers and Washington Commanders don't want their clubs to land Patriots head coach Bill Belichick this offseason. 

"The thing I think is fascinating, and maybe it’s a short attention span that people have these days, but a lot of people don’t want him," Tucker explained, per Karen Guregian of MassLive. "I thought Belichick would be a great hire for the Carolina Panthers or the Commanders, both of whom need credibility at this point, and for their new owners, ‘cause it’s been bad, and yet, that’s not really what the fans appear to want, which is really interesting."

It's believed Patriots owner Robert Kraft hasn't yet made a final decision about Belichick's future beyond Week 18, and it was recently said that the six-time Super Bowl champion head coach who turns 72 years old this coming April doesn't "want to leave New England." Tucker suggested the fact that Belichick's Patriots are about to miss the playoffs for a third time in four years has impacted how paying customers view the living legend. 

Belichick is under contract through the 2024 season. Many in the NFL community assume Kraft will attempt to receive compensation via a trade in return for Belichick's services this winter. 

"When I was on in D.C., they said it was about 10 percent of the fans that want Belichick there," Tucker added. "That’s tough. It’s tough to trade for a guy or hire a guy that wouldn’t be a popular move with the fans. Now again, maybe that’s what they’re saying now, and if they actually do it, you’ll get the buy-in. But I do think that’s an interesting point in this."

Belichick has been linked with the Los Angeles Chargers, Dallas Cowboys and Chicago Bears for different reasons. For what it's worth, Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post wrote for a piece published Thursday that Belichick may not head to Washington because "the Commanders offer a barren roster and a potentially impatient new owner in Josh Harris."